Start of a Hero
by Misty the Hedgehog
Summary: When my character, Misty, was as age ten, and how she met Espio the Chameleon and saved his life from a threatening mutant scientist down underneath a ruined Genetic Labratory! ::Link Story to SAKA2: the War Begins:: Last Chapter Added!
1. Sensei Darren

_**The Start of a Hero:**_

_Prologue:_

_As a hedgehog at 10, Misty was left to stride on her own for four years, and during the time, she had developed skills that rarely anyone has been able to obtain. With the help of her guardian Nirinia, she regained special abilities like shape shifting, telepathy, and more. She may have just got out of a dangerous city, but that was nothing compared to the test she has to forcefully take._

_**Chapter 1:**_

**Sensei Darren**

It was morning, and Misty woke up tired as ever, after dealing with savage dogs that chased her for miles, keeping her on the run, and finally, she escaped. Now knowing it was safe to move on, she picked up her bag of supplies and moved on eastward, where a large city stood by waiting for her.

The city was known as Juracho Tropolis, one of the largest cities in the world, and also known for high tech military enforcements. This was also the place that Misty was looking forward to.

The streets were covered with people and tuner cars, rarely any trouble either, for every minute; at least three police cars went by her in suspicion. Misty knew what they thought, they wondered if she was a runaway child, or an orphan, and even a troublemaker of the streets, just by her clothing.

She ignored them, and pursued onwards to a large building entitled J.T. PDA, and knew she was at the right place. She seen the doors in front of her open, and she scampered over to get through. Anxious, her scamper turned into a bolt. She ran passed a human worker, and squeezed between two people that stood and talked. She continued to bolt, until she felt a hand grab her arm.

"Sorry, but no hedgehogs allowed." A human guard told her.

She spun around and glared at him, "So only echidna's are allowed, or you pathetic humans."

The guard stared at her with amazement, "I didn't know Sonic had a sister."

Misty stood confused, "Well, um, you see-"

"I'm sorry, you may proceed, your brother's in the FBI's main office." The guard released her.

Misty stood and looked at the guard blankly, then nodded, and proceeded through the doors.

Man, it's like I can't go through a city without being mistaken of Sonic's… 

She paused.

Sonic's here? 

She shook her head.

_Mean's I'm here, let's check it out._

She preceded upstairs into the FBI floor. Large space was taken up, separated by bulletproof glass; she walked through with caution. She knew that someone would spot her, and tell her to leave. That's when the shape shift idea came up. She closed her eyes, and quickly she shifted into a black and red chameleon, and instantly turned invisible. She opened her eyes, and wandered through without worry.

Ahead of her she noticed Main Office entitled on a door, and she quickly ran over and wanted to investigate it. Luckily, the door opened, and she bolted past the guards, and leaped into the office. She looked behind her that the people who had left were talking to a scientist, the door then shut.

"I'm very disappointed in you two!"

Misty leaped, nearly letting out a yelp. She spun around to find not only Sonic at nine, but also Rouge in the room at eleven. The headmaster of the FBI deal stood behind his desk with fury, she knew something was bad.

"One, what has gotten into you two? Means you've known each other for a short time, it doesn't mean you need to be at each other's throats, and second, where's Tails?"

"Tails is busy is all," Sonic replied, crossing his arms, "And Rouge is being a pain."

Misty rolled her eyes.

"Rouge?" the headmaster turned.

"He stomped on my foot, breaking a nail!" Rouge complained.

The headmaster sat back down in his chair and put his hands over his face stressed.

Misty blinked a few times.

"Go you two, and come back here tomorrow."

The two looked at one another, and then walked out. Misty scooted aside, allowing the right door to hit her face. She let out a small whine, but not loud enough for Sonic and Rouge to hear. She waited until silence whiffed the room, and after the headmaster settled down.

_The genetics are gonna have to wait._

Misty shifted to her normal self and made herself visible. The headmaster didn't notice her. She then walked up with solitude, lightly setting her footsteps on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Misty asked him.

"Uh, yes, it's just that-" The headmaster then noticed Misty in front of him.

"What happened?" She asked with concern.

The headmaster's stressed face quickly turned into a stunned expression. He stood up to get a better look at Misty. Misty again blinked, wondering what he was so surprised about. He sat back down, and then lied back in his chair, with his plum body filling the space, and the gray hair shine dimly.

"Finally, someone else." He sighed with relief.

"Huh?" Misty stared at him.

"I recognize that face anywhere." He laughed, "My my, it's been a while."

Misty stood confused.

"Ha, you don't remember me I suppose, you were a toddler back then."

"Okay, now I'm confused." Misty stated.

"Really? You don't remember me? Old man Huston Tucker?"

"Bell ain't ringing." Misty said sitting on the floor.

"Well now, you'll soon remember." He stood up and walked around to see her from the side. Misty moved her head a little while resting on her fists. Wearing a black and red vest, and black jeans, she stared at him with wonder.

"You've changed a little." Huston stated.

"You're fat." Misty mentioned.

Huston stared at her for a moment, unhappy for her staring the obvious, she replied with a small smile.

Huston sighed, "Well, it'll replace the other two."

"What?" Misty sat up.

"I need you to finish something for me." Huston said reaching into his desk.

"Finish what?"

Huston then stood back up, and handed her some papers. Misty took them and started to scan through them, listening to Huston's explanation.

"You see, Sonic and Rouge were suppose to run an erring for me," Huston started, "But beans they've been attacking one another, it's been difficult to get it done. Misty, I need you to go into the Inchigo Base, and collect a sample of their genetic solution."

Misty jumped in shock, "What?!"

"Misty, please, you're a shape shifter right?" Huston begged.

"Is your head between your nuts?" Misty cried out, "I'm only ten! I've been ratted out by evil people, tortured by my fake aunt and uncle, lost my brother and sister, chased by Weremeleons, chased by Echorodons, and lastly, chased by rabies filled Wolfhogs! And you expect me to go to the most secure base in the world, and go through more dogs of some sort, and pass through lasers, to get a sample of something that could kill me? You're nuts!"

Huston stared at her with amazement, surprised by her anger filled comment she made. Misty panted with irritation, after explaining only some of what she's been through.

Huston sighed, "Look, I knew one of your cousin's aunt, and she told me that you were to be the one to always depend on. Even your mother said that."

Misty paused.

"I'll pay for any sort of fighting class you want."

"For how long?" Misty stood, crossing her arms.

"Make that two, and for, um, however long it takes. And you could start right away."

_And now I feel a bit too spoiled._

"Just please, I've been dying to get a sample."

Misty stood for a while, examining him, seeing if he was truly innocent. If she could, she would read his mind, but at her age, she was limited to only a few times a week.

"Look, I don't wanna-"

The doors behind them then banged open, and the two guards that were standing guard came panicking in. Misty stood in her place, and watched as Huston handled the situation.

"What's the problem?" Huston asked them.

"There's a ninja outside! And he's dodged everyone of our shots!" one guard cried out.

"He nearly smacked me with his stick!" The other complained.

"A ninja?" Misty lightened up.

Huston sighed, "What does he want?"

"I want that hedgehog there!" a scratchy voice demanded.

The guards quickly scampered and hid behind Huston's desk, and left Misty and him out in the open. Misty looked at the desk, then back at the source of the voice. Walking through the doorway with a samurai sword in his right hand, and black dressing on. The figure turned out to be an older chameleon, but of a silver color, and Misty knew that silver chameleon's were rare, especially if they're ninjas, that usually showed the sign of devotion and honesty, and also to be wise.

"You have no right having her here." He snarled with his blue eyes glaring at Huston.

"You again!" Huston growled.

"Misty, back behind me." the chameleon ordered.

Misty had no idea what to do, though Huston was the headmaster, usually most ninjas are proven to know more that the average mind, a lot more. She glanced at Huston for one second, and then walked forward towards the chameleon. One of the guards then popped up and snagged her arm, holding her back from going any farther. The other then showed up and grabbed her other arm. The chameleon quickly withdrew his sword and brought out a whip that matched his color, and wrapped it around Huston's neck, and jerked the whip back, strangling him.

"I suggest you let her go if you want the headmaster to live." He warned.

The guards stared at him with fear, then looked at one another, questioning whether to let Misty go, or to let Huston suffer. Making up their minds, they released her, and Misty ran behind the chameleon, and was ready to run on his mark.

The chameleon smiled, "Wise choice men, but, I'm afraid, one must suffer. For I don't leave a room without letting bodies bleed."

He drew back his whip, and released Huston, then struck one of the guards across the stomach, and neck, leaving his clothes ruined in blood, and his life now gone. Misty stood shocked at the chameleon's action, and couldn't stand the grossness of so much blood dripping onto the carpet. Even the last remaining guard couldn't stand it, and ran behind the desk again, and hurled with disgust.

"Misty, there's a black Gallardo outside," the chameleon told her, "Quickly get inside, and stay there until I return."

Misty nodded, and ran out the doors, leaving the chameleon and the headmaster alone.

Misty slid down the stairway, and charged out the doors, not sure whether to trust the chameleon, or to trust anyone else that stood in her way. She ran out down the outside stairs, and stopped to find a black Lamborghini Gallardo sitting outside. She stared at it. She heard gunshots behind her shoot off, and quickly jolted to the exotic, and hopped in, and waited for the chameleon to show up.

Just that second the chameleon opened the driver door and hopped in, and quickly shoved the acceleration on the floor. The Lamborghini roared and sped onward, taking a few hits on Misty's side from gunshots. Misty hung on with her life, and closed her eyes, hoping this was all a dream, and that it'll soon end. Quickly then the gunshots died away, and nothing else went after them, and only the purring sound of the exotic echoed in her ears.

"Wait? How do you know who I am?" Misty turned and asked.

"I knew one of your aunts," the chameleon stated, "And before the incident happened, I knew your family, and seen you. And ever since then, that scar you have has imprinted itself in my mind."

"So what's going on?" Misty asked him, "And who are you?"

"Just call me Sensei." The chameleon spoke, "And I'm doing you a favor right now."

"Which is?"

"The headmaster's reason why Sonic and Rouge aren't listening, is because he doesn't realize that kids like you and Sonic are valuable, and sometimes still need to be disciplined." Sensei ratted on, "When he seen you, he had no idea you had the power to shape shift, but that was before he seen your necklace there."

Misty glanced at her necklace; a peace sign with four different colored jewels in it, once was bright in color, but now dull.

"You may have several other powers Misty." Sensei continued, "But you barely have experience, and if you don't have experience, you'll die trying."

"I've had it for four years!" Misty snapped, "What makes you think I don't have experience?"

The Lamborghini quickly slowed to a halt, and Sensei glared at her, "That necklace not only stores power, but it stores your rewards and for some, their life."

Misty's eyes widened a little, a bit stunned. Sensei then pulled out from underneath his neck wrap, a Yin Yang symbol, with the same four colored jewels as what Misty had, red blue, green, and yellow.

"I'm also a Traveling Earthesen." He admitted.

Misty then stared at him with shock in her expression.

"I have more than 100 years put into my life, and I know everything from the start to now." Sensei told her, "And trust me, it's best if I take you in first and teach you some things."

"Like what?" Misty lightened up.

"One thing for sure." He blinked, remembering something.

About fifteen minutes have past, and they drove up upon a large silver building, about fifty stories high. Misty glanced at the building with amazement as she got out, and wondered what lurked within it.

Sensei locked the exotic up, and lead Misty inside.

"What is this place?" Misty asked as they walked through sliding glass doors.

"This Misty, is the future trouble." Sensei told her, "I want to show you something only the dead will never see again."

The building was much larger on the inside than what it looked like from the outside, and stared at the floors above her. She noticed not very many humans lurked about; they were mostly at their desks, doing business on the phone, or up on a coffee break. Misty then looked in front of her, a glassy elevator slowly rise up in front of them through the glass. The doors slid open, and a two young adult foxes of black and brown walk out. Misty followed them with her eyes, and wondered what they were discussing. She then followed Sensei, and stood beside them. The doors shut, and they slowly drifted downward.

"So what are we doing?" Misty questioned.

The silver chameleon said nothing; his arms crossed, and kept his eyes in the front, staring at through the glass. Misty stared at him for a moment, and then a spark caught her eye from the corner.

She swung her head to see what made the spark, her face then lit up with wonder as she stared at what looked like laboratories. No humans were the first things she noticed, none at all. Everyone was in lab coats, everyone wore goggles on them somehow, and everyone was doing something. As the elevator stopped, it didn't open.

"Why can't we go out?" Misty asked.

"Because we need to be sanitized." The chameleon informed her, "We're then given lab coats so we're not mistaken for something, and so we don't give out a distraction."

Misty then felt a light breeze, and felt what seemed like water spray on her. She glanced around, but seen nothing except a small mist of vapor drift over her head.

The elevator doors then opened, and the two walked outside, to see another fox, white with gold markings, and blue eyes, standing in front of them with lab coats and tags in his hands.

"Long time no see Darren." He smiled, and then looked down at Misty, "And I presume this is Misty?"

"Yes it is in fact." Sensei nodded, "And I presumed it has grown?"

"Dude! The thing's HUGE!" The fox replied, "The bastard nearly had Ferdinand for lunch a week ago. And the results are off the chart."

Sensei, or Darren, stared at him, "You've got to be joking?"

"I'm not!" The fox stated, "And I know, I'm surprised we're able to still contain the bastard."

Misty stood confused, "What is huge?"

Darren handed Misty a lab coat, and an ID tag, "It's nothing you need to know yet."

The fox smiled, "Like her mother I know that."

"Huh?" Misty stared up at him.

"Misty, this is Jared, he's a trouble maker, so don't listen to him." Darren joked.

"Beans you're a ninja doesn't give you the right to be treacherous." Jared laughed a little, "You want to see the thing? It's been lookin' forward to seeing you."

"Save that for later," Darren requested, "I need, _the keys._"

Jared's eyes widened, "The keys? You mean, _the_ keys?"

Darren nodded.

"Um, that's the problem." Jared stated, "You see, the boss _took_ the keys, and well, locked them up."

"What? Why?" Darren questioned.

"Well, you see, a few weeks ago, we had a bit of a problem." Jared explained, leading them onward away from the elevator, "Just a day after you left, we had a incident, and the bioweapon kinda of, well…"

"Kinda what?" Darren asked.

"Well, it kinda _mutated_, and went berserk, and escaped."

Darren stooped and stared at Jared, "What did you just say?"

"You heard me."

Darren shook his head, and scratched his shoulder, "You've got to be joking me?"

"In fact, it's still in_ here_." Jared pointed out.

"WHAT!" Darren growled.

"We let off the security system a bit too early, and it is still hiding, we don't have a clue where it is!" Jared explained, "After about five weeks, it's probably fed on our experiments, and grew larger, so who knows what could happen."

"You mean to tell me, that I left the day _before_ this happened, go and nearly get myself shot, kill a guard, drag Misty with me, get my Gallardo shot at, and come down here to find that it's still roaming around?" Darren questioned with frustration.

"Basically." Jared said, playing with his fingers, "And don't go yelling at me, go yell at the boss! He's the one that thought that by a week ago he thought it returned and stayed there long enough for him to lock it up, and take the keys with him."

"Where are they?" Darren snapped.

"Last thing I knew about them, they were sent to the stupid headmaster." Jared replied.

"These keys?" Misty pointed out, holding up some technical cards.

"No Misty, those are-" Jared then stopped, and stared at the cards with shock. Darren spun his head around, and couldn't believe his eyes. Misty had the keys to the chamber.

"B-b-but, how'd you get those?" Jared stuttered.

"Found them on the carpet in the main office." Misty smiled.

Darren and Jared looked at one another with shock.

"So what is it that's here?" Misty asked, giving Darren the cards.

_At a young age, I scarcely remember a thing, but that was one of my most treasured memories…_

_Really, I was over at the headquarters (or the FBI building) for a testing of some sort, but when Darren (or Sensei) rolled in, this was unexpected. He is a ninja, that's something I knew just by his entryway, but I never knew he was a member of the Juracho Tropolis Mutation Laboratory Co…_


	2. Ninja Training Starts

**Chapter 2:**

** Ninja Training Starts**

Darren looked at Jared for a moment, then took the keys, "We're gonna get everyone out of here."

"What? Why?" Jared asked.

"Not only am I gonna hunt down that mutant," Darren said, "But this is where Misty will begin her training."

"Are you insane!" Jared stood in front of Misty, "You're gonna teach Misty Jiujutsu here while a freakin' blood hunger experiment is running around?"

"I suggest you look behind you." Darren pointed behind Jared.

Both Misty and Jared turned, and behind them stood five creatures that were never seen through Misty's eyes. All five were chameleon looking; large claws grew out of their muscled toes. No skin was what made Misty interested, along with the fact they were the size of Doberman pinchers. Their tails uncurled, and their head was covered with small thorns.

"Who the heck made those?" Jared shrieked.

Misty quickly shifted to her fox form, which had the markings and crescent moon scar on her left eye, but was much smaller than the creatures.

"Don't get any ideas Misty." Darren warned her, "Let them attack fir-"

Before Darren could finish his sentence, two of the creatures leaped towards her. Misty foresighted their attack, and leaped above, then blew out her blue fire, and engulfed the two in a mere second. The two landed, and screeched in pain, then quickly died.

"Are you sure she needs training down here?" Jared asked the chameleon.

"She's telepathic," said Darren, "She can foresight the attacks, but, this is no time to foresight the next move."

Three gunshots burst through the hallways, three loud gunshots that stopped everyone cold. As the echoes bounced through the metal and glass halls, the three remaining creature plopped to the ground without a sound, except for their bodies went thump.

Misty stood and stared at the creatures, then looked up to see a black female fox standing with a shotgun in one hand, and a machine gun in the other. Her stand was with passion, and her dark hair behind her bounced around in the fan's air behind her. She walked forward, stepping beside the creatures that spilled a near black blood pool on the floor.

She smiled, "Thought you needed help."

"Not anymore." Darren perked up, "Where is everyone."

"Few escaped." She spoke.

"What do you mean _few_ escaped?"

Misty shifted to her normal form, and backed off past the fire lit bodies, and beside Darren, scared a little.

"What I mean is, is this is all a set up." She put her guns behind her on their straps.

"Um, set up?" Jared stared at her.

"The FBI headmaster." She talked more, staring at one of the creatures beside her, "After you attacked Darren, he instantly called the boss and said to only evacuate the important scientists. Then, once they did, they released the encased experiments, and many above us have died because of these creatures."

"But, does he not realize that Misty's down here?" Jared spoke up.

"He does, he's testing her and you Darren." She nodded her head at him, "Do either of you know of the Downstairs Living Hall?"

"Huh?" The two men questioned her.

"By the way Misty, I'm Samiria." She introduced.

"You look pretty." Misty complimented.

Samiria smiled.

"The Downstairs Living Hall?" Darren wondered.

"It's where us important scientists go." Samiria started, "The scientists are really the ones who have created these creatures, and there are thousands of them in the hall, a lot alike for many, but there are also different one's too. These are the smallest of what you'll be dealing with."

"So how do we get out?" Misty asked her.

"To basically get to the Instruct Scope." She told, "The main door is locked through there, if we can fight our way down there, destroy the lock, and fight our way out, we'll be fine."

"Fine meh ass!" Jared growled, "Look, I don't care how I get out, I want to _get out_!"

'Well, then let's get moving." Samiria directed, waving her hand behind her, "we're headed downstairs."

The three followed her, with Darren guarding Misty and Jared from behind.

After about ten minutes of walking in silence, they then stopped and sat in an enclosed room with mainly computers surrounding them. Samiria and Jared watched as Misty was given her first lesson of Jujitsu.

"I would start with the mind," Darren said, standing next to the door, "But you're telepathy will help you. So, the first lesson." Darren got out a solid one-inch bar, and gripped it out in front of his chest, "One has no fear against any inanimate object, no matter what size, and they attack until it's destroyed."

Misty stared at the bar, and sighed, "Can you break one?"

Darren glared, "Never, and I mean _never_ question a Master's abilities and disabilities. For it only brings irritation to the Master."

Misty quickly silenced.

"Now, for a first try I don't expect you to break this in one shot." Darren told her, "But I do expect an attack soon."

Misty stared at the bar for a moment and hesitated, wondering if she would be able to break the bar he held strongly.

"But how do I-"

"Any move you desire." Darren interfered.

Misty nodded, took a few steps backwards, and put herself in a ready position. She stood, and waited till she felt ready. Then she bolted, leaped up, and reared up a high kick. Her heel came in contact with the bar, and the bar snapped as her heels drilled into it. Misty then quickly fell, and landed nearly on Darren's feet face first.

Darren held the broken bar and examined it, as if to see if it was done properly.

"She broke it man, give her a break." Jared spoke up.

Misty stood up and looked at Darren with silence, expecting something in return.

"It's not the hit that counts." Darren said, "It's the outcome."

Misty kept silent.

"Not bad of a kick though, to break a bar this thick." Darren compromised, "But your outcome is to be worked on, once a kick is made, that foot is to be the leg you land on, the knee hitting your chest or your arm."

Misty nodded.

"Not bad though, lessons from the martial arts are important."

"I took a summer class of it." Misty smiled, "And the teacher said I should become a ninja, because of the way I flow."

Darren smiled, "And he's right."

"So, are we gonna go now?" Jared complained.

"No, the 30/4's are out, and I want them to be on the top floor." Samiria told him.

"The what now?"

"The 30/4's." Samiria said again, "A specific creature's number based on speed in miles per hour, and length in yards."

"So these specific things can run 30 mph, and are 4 yards long? That's 12 flippin' feet!"

"Exactly." Samiria said, "That's why we're waiting."

Misty stared at Samiria, "Can I call you Sammy?"

"Sure." She smiled.

Jared got up and paced back and fourth, "This is bad, bad, bad, bad."

Darren went on, "Next."

He then quickly disappeared.

"Oh come on now Darren, give her a break." Jared sighed.

"Now Misty," Darren's voice echoed, "Without using your telepathy, see if you can find me. One must learn to use their senses more than their power and skill."

Misty stood, and looked around, watching for anything that stirred just a bit. She listened, to hear if he was behind her or to the side. She also tried to feel any vibrations to see if he stepped lightly, or heavily.

She felt very heavy ones, but no sound to them.

A loud hissing sound was made right beside Jared, like a raptor's voice. Jared jumped in fright, and fell upon three computer desktops, shocked from the instant arrival, of what Sammy said the 30/4.

Everyone leaped back a few steps, Darren quickly disabled his camouflage, and grasped Misty and dragged her back, away from the window of which the 30/4 was at. The 30/4 was also chameleon like, but much larger, about the size of Licker in Resident Evil just before it was killed. It was bloody, covered with large visible muscles, and like the others, no skin. Chameleon, like the others, but had sharp fangs that draped down like hooks of a crane, and a tongue slipped out that grew longer as it moved from the mouth. It paced back and forth, and stared down what it though was the easiest kill, and glared at Jared.

"Son of a bi-otch!" Jared said, lying on the desktops.

"And it's guarding our only exit." Sammy told them.

Jared looked up and looked like he wanted to strangle her. The last thing he wanted was to die in his worst nightmare.

"The vent!" Darren pointed out, "Let's go quick!"

The mutant took a jump at the glass, and bounced backwards after hitting it. The glass barely let a crack get through, and held together.

"Two more jumps and we're screwed man!" Jared cried out, "Three time's the charm ya know!"

Sammy went in first into the vent above the computer desk Jared crashed on. And the mutant jumped a second time. The small crack at the top quickly raced down towards the bottom, and in the center, a round web-like pattern appeared showing where the mutant tried to break. Jared quickly scampered into the vent, kicking his feet wildly, and finally got his body in.

"Come on Misty, your next!" Darren said, giving Misty his hands to step on.

Misty looked at the hands, then the vent, then and the mutant. She didn't feel nervous at all, but her intension of leaving was slim.

"Misty!"

_Sure, the first two lessons seem to make no sense, but hey, at that time, I thought it was impossible. Besides, this is then what changed my thoughts of mutants._

_-----------------_

I should make a note, 30/4 is pronouced thirty n' fours, srry for being a bit too technical ;


	3. Split and Follow

**Chapter 3:**

**Split and Follow**

Misty shifted to her fox form, and ran towards the glass, of which the mutant was ready to leap.

"MISTY!" Darren shrieked.

Misty leaped and broke the glass with ease. She landed right beside the mutant, thankfully on her feet. She took one quick look at the large creature, then bolted to the left, and lured the mutant away from Darren and the other two.

Darren stood in shock. His mouth barely open, but his pupils shrunk to a near dot. Jared popped his head out to see.

"Um, where's Misty?" Jared asked.

Jared was then shoved out of the vent, and landed head first into the pile of computer debris that he crashed earlier. Sammy then poked her head out to see her friend nearly broken to pieces.

"She's gone ain't she?" Sammy asked not sounding so worried.

"How can Misty kill a mutant ten times her size? It's almost impossible." Darren said silently.

-----------------------------------

Misty ran, and kept taking corners she could take to escape the whip-like tongue that would snap behind her to get her limbs. She kept running from the hunter behind her, and tried to find a way to lose it. She kept running, since she though it would sooner or later be back behind her a ways, and give her a chance to escape before it caught up.

That's when she spotted a dead end with a vent on the floor.

It was her only option.

She bolted, and left a fiery trail behind her as she raced to the vent in the floor. The mutant just turned a few seconds after, but was stalled by the flames that held it off. Misty looked back to see that the mutant was about to go around, and used her telekinesis to open the vent for herself as she ran. She then slid on the heels of her paws to almost a screeching stop. She was an inch away, and she dove into the vent, not looking in or behind her.

She then shut the vent, the moment the mutant ran over it.

Misty started to tumble a few feet, and then was driven on to a wet floor below her on her side.

"Ouchie!" Misty cried out in pain.

She then sat in relief, and panted with exhaustion, thankful that she was quick enough to get away. She sat, and thought about what her next lesson could be when she returned (if the three were still alive). She also thought about what could come next. She then felt something poking at her lightly.

She had to ask herself.

Misty looked over her tender shoulder, and found a dark colored, mutant hedgehog poking at her with its claw. It had the ordinary eyes like she had, and had, strangely, skin on it, but only on its backside. The quills were shaped with no curve upwards, but just naturally drooping down.

"ACK!"

The two leaped from their spots, and took many steps back as they glanced at one another with a stunned expression. Misty kept her fox form, and looked at the mutant for a silent moment, and lifted her head in concern. Why was it poking her instead of actually ripping her to shreds? It seemed like the hedgehog was asking itself the same question about her. Misty shifted, and got up on her feet, and continued to stare, both of their eyes meeting one another, neither with fright, but with inquest. The hedgehog then started panting like a dog, and let it's pale tongue hang out only a little.

Misty's expression quickly changed, "Zheck? You're not anything like the thing above us."

It walked up to her and sat in front of her, sneaking a smile that Misty could barely see, and started wagging its small tail that hasn't grown, yet. Misty stared at it more, and knelt down. Lending out her hand, the mutant replied by putting it's tiny horn just between her thumb and index finger, and gave a small playful yelp.

"So you are friendly." Misty smiled, and then wondered if it would understand what she says, "How do I get out of here, and back to my friends?"

Its small ears sprang up, and leaped from her hand, and ran behind her, it yelped again, and started off running.

"Hey! Wait up!" Misty cried out, shifting to her fox form, and running after it.

-----------------------------------

They walked without a word, knowing that a large creature roamed around now, they knew they had to keep their eyes peeled. Darren felt guilty though, for even bringing her down here, where she was most likely to be kill, whish he believed he has already let her.

"DUDE!" Jared shouted.

Both Darren and Sammy turned, and shushed him loudly. Jared though only stared at them.

"Look! In there!" Jared pointed, in a bit of shock.

The other two looked in, and found pods, hundreds of them, all cluttered in one room that was about the size of the room they were once in. The pods were, of course, egg shaped, and were freshly produced, whatever was there, brought those in the room, and whatever it was, must've been pretty huge to make that many pods.

Their jaws dropped like anvils.

"This is going to slow us down." Sammy sighed, "These pods are only going to cause more trouble."

"Can't we just shoot them?" Jared brought up, "We have guns."

"Not enough bullets to knock those off in one blow." Darren turned to him, "Besides, they look like rocks, damn hard rocks."

"We better move on quickly." Sammy nodded, "Whatever it was that was here, it might come back, and then we _are_ screwed. And I bet those pods won't make things any better."

Jared took a large gulp in his throat, scared, "The mother loaders of hell."

There was a tapping sound in a distance.

"Eep!" Jared squeaked.

Sammy grabbed one of her guns and pointed towards the sound, "I know that tapping sound…"

As she finished her sentence, the tapping became scrapping of metal, and non-stop hissing noises echoed. Three of the smaller creatures they seen earlier then leaped from a corner, and ran like bullets at them. Sammy though pulled the trigger, and three quick shots sparked through the gun, and in less than five seconds, they were dead. Jared, who was behind Darren, stared at Sammy, seeing she had quick reflexes, was amazement to him.

"You're quick." Jared stated.

"You're dick's hard-core." She laughed.

Jared yipped like a puppy, and was instantly elbowed by Darren, and the fox fell on the ground, hurt, and embarrassed, that has never happened to him in front of a girl in his life. He felt like dying that moment.

-----------------------------------

Misty poked her head up through the vent, and looked around, and seen she was led in front of a steel door that had the most confusing combination lock on it, the size of her head. She stared at it, as if _she_ had to open it, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The creature also poked its head out to see, and yipped a little, then pranced out from the vent. Misty quickly got out, and shut the vent behind her, and sat in front of the large steel door.

A sign read:

**Downstairs Living Hall**

**WARNING:**

**Live Experiments, Enter With Caution!**

"What's in here?" Misty glanced at the creature.

The thing was scratching at the door, and whimpered, it wanted in real bad. Misty then remembered about what Sammy said.

"_It's where us important scientists go." _Misty remembered,_ "The scientists are really the ones who have created these creatures, and there are thousands of them in the hall, a lot alike for many, but there are also different one's too… _

"So how do we get out?" Misty asked herself.

"_To basically get to the Instruct Scope, the main door is locked through there, if we can fight our way down there, destroy the lock, and fight our way out, we'll be fine."_

Misty blinked; this was the place to start.

"Will you help me through?" Misty asked the creature.

It nodded, she figured it understood her, and also nodded.

Misty turned to the lock, "Now, how do we open this lock thingy?"

The creature sighed. And Misty sighed.

"What are we going to do?" Misty slouched, "I'm telepathic, but I can't undo locks yet for another year."

The creature walked to her and sat down in front of her.

Misty looked up, "You need a name."

Its ears went up.

"What should I call you though?"

Misty examined the creature, and stared at it for a long time, sufficient to think, but unable to think of something she could call the helper. She sighed again.

"Too hard. I can't fix a name to stick to you, you're more mutant than you-"

She paused. The creature's ears went back up.

She then smiled, "Onterage!"

It smiled back.

"That's it! Onterage!"

The creature yelped, and its tail began wagging in joy. Misty smiled even brighter.

Then ticking noise occurred.

"A…bomb?" Misty's face went pale.

It was the lock, it turned on, and a timer was set of ten seconds, and straight away, it began ticking down to zero. Onterage yelped, and ran behind Misty, and opened the vent they came in from, and waited for Misty to dive in. Quickly Misty shifted to her fox form again, and leaped in, and Onterage followed, closing the vent.

4…3…2…1…

-----------------------------------

They were just about to head around a corner, when they heard the sound of what sounded like to them a large bomb exploding. Sammy froze in her position.

"What was that?" Jared asked.

"No…" Sammy wasn't pleased, and she quickly grew scared.

"What is it?" Darren turned.

"The lock… to the Downstairs Living Hall…" Sammy said scornfully, "It's been opened."

"It couldn't have been Misty's doing." Jared stood, "Besides, she doesn't even kno-"

Sammy quickly grabbed Jared around the neck and mouth, and stared to drag him backwards, and gunshots were quickly fired. Jared grabbed her arm, and tried to breathe, but her hand blocked his nose and mouth from breathing, and he began to panic.

"Use this Jared! And RUN!" Sammy gave him a large gun, and took off running, following Darren, who already found a way out.

Jared though, as he tried to stand, was shoved down to the steel floor, and was quickly knocked out by his own gun.

_The Downstairs Living Hall…_

_I'll never forget when I first opened the lock, it was probably the worst thing I've done, just hearing what was going over my head, I grew scared…_

_But how? How can Onterage be the password to "open" the door? I mean, why would they use that specifically…_


	4. Mince

**Chapter 4: **

**Mince**

Misty and Onterage sat for a long time, even after what rampaged above them grew silent. She stared up at the vent above, and knew nothing was coming, but yet she felt safer down where she sat. Thankfully, the sign said almost all.

She shivered.

Hearing the roars, the hissing, the screeching, and everything, she felt that this was about to be turned into a game.

A deadly one.

All she had now was Onterage.

Misty glanced at Onterage, "Should we go?"

Onterage nodded, and leaped busting through the vent, the vent falling over, and making a loud smack on the solid steel floor. Misty poked her head up, and then pulled herself up, shifting back to normal, and closing the vent behind her. Onterage's back was arched, ready for anything that was about to come their way, and kept it that way, until Misty stood beside.

They both looked far down the hallway, which seemed to lead to a stairway ahead of them, which was quite the distance away for a hallway. On each side, what used to be cages were on both sides, were broken, and showed that the bars breaking out destroyed each. Misty had a dark feeling in her stomach, and knew that it wasn't empty.

"At least there's light." Misty took a deep breath.

They moved forward, and set only two steps into the hallway, and quickly Misty grew scared, and felt almost paralyzed after that, and couldn't bare move a step forward. Her head then was smacked with something that seemed to feel like metal, and all that she seen was Onterage racing after her, as she felt something grab her by the shoulders, and dragged her away.

-----------------------------------

The lights were slightly dim as he opened his eyes, and soon they grew brighter as his vision cleared, and seen only the ceiling, were the lights had blood all over them. Unsure whether to look at himself and determined if he was still in one piece, he lied there, on a flat bed silent.

Flat bed?

Jared sprung his body upwards, or tried to, and found his whole body was restrained down on a flat bed, covered with blood that may be his own. He began to panic, unsure of where he was, he felt doomed.

As he quickly looked around the room, nothing was around, except a large machine just above his body, attached to the ceiling.

This was bad.

"HELLO!" Jared howled.

No one replied.

"Hello! Is anyone here?" Jared tried again.

He then heard laughing.

"Huh? Who's there! Get me out!" Jared growled, hearing that the laugh sounded like more of a taunt.

He tried fidgeting out, and tried to make his body get out by his feet, and push himself out. The laughing quickly drew closer, and soon became a screaming howl, like a crazy person's laugh would sound like.

"I'm screwed." Jared quickly gave up.

He felt then hands rub against his cheeks, and grew very irritating, the feel of it was moist, and the hands danced across his chest that was revealed with no shirt on. It grew into a creepy feeling.

"Enjoying the stay?" the voice deepened.

"Stop touching me damn it!" Jared snapped.

The person then revealed himself, and stood in Jared's view. It was a scrawny chameleon with eyes that said he was crazy, but one covered with an odd eye patch. He was dark blue, and had two horns, one broken. He dressed in ripped clothing, and had hands that were gross in detail, as if they've been through a shredder. But Jared looked closer.

They just had no skin.

He wanted to faint, but couldn't, he have to keep himself awake, though crept out by the crazy chameleon, "Who…are you?"

The chameleon laughed, "Why should you know?"

Jared stared to get more irritated, "Cause if you don't tell me, I'll rip that head off of your shoulder's."

The chameleon laughed again, this time, the same hysterical high-pitched laugh Jared hated, "I'm the one that brought you here, and I'll be your master very soon."

Jared's muscled bulged, "You're starting to draw the line buddy, just tell me!"

His laugh calmed back down to a lower pitch, and sounded a lot like Darren's voice, "Dr. Marvelo. Dr. Mince Marvelo."

"How ironic." Jared laughed a little

"Silence!" Mince quickly drew out a knife the size of his skinless hands, and pointed it at Jared's nose. Jared's ears quickly fell back in fright, and silenced.

"You're lucky that you survived that attack." Mince growled, "But I'll change that."

"Wait! What are you doing?" Jared lit up in alert.

Mince walked through a door, and left it open, then quickly came out with what looked like an injection.

"Ack! No! Please! I'll do anything!" Jared panicked.

Mince walked closer, his back slightly arched, "Anything isn't enough."

Jared panicked even more, "Okay! EVERYTHING! Just let me go!"

Mince stopped, "Everything?"

"Anything and everything you want me to do, just please! I don't want to die!" Jared begged, "Just tell me what you want me to do! And I'll do it! I just want to get out of here!"

"Oh you will." Mince smiled evilly, "But you won't remember a thing."

"NO!" Jared howled.

Mince walked up beside Jared, and leaned over by his face, his breath passing Jared's nose with the scent of blood. Jared grew scared.

"Now that I think of it." Mince raised his head, "Just sit still."

Mince gave a lick on Jared's face, and quickly ran off. Jared sat on the flat bed, and felt disgusted.

"Torture." Jared belched, "Blech! And rape."

Mince then returned, and slowly began walked to Jared, shirt gone.

"This is bad." Jared whimpered, his ear back down.

"I've got one other with me." He mentioned, "But, you'll be the first."

"In what?" Jared asked.

Mince leaned over, his smile turned into a grin of lust, "To be my pleaser."

"In other words?" Jared whimpered.

Mince quickly leaped on the table, and grabbed Jared's arms, as the restraints loosened, and released Jared.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Jared howled.

-----------------------------------

Misty woke up from Jared's cry for help, and found herself put into a cage made of stainless steel. She felt wet, as if something was lightly splashed across the face and arms, and it bothered her greatly. Onterage was right next to her, chained up to a wall near by, and it sat, whimpering.

"What happened?" Misty said, rubbing her head.

"We've been taken hostage." Onterage spoke with a female sort of voice to it.

Misty stared at Onterage, "You can speak?"

"I didn't trust you at first." Onterage explained, "But I know exactly who you are now. But right now, your friend…"

"Jared!" Misty leaped, "That was him! Where is he?"

"He on the other side of the way in front of us." Onterage stood, "But we can't get out without Mince setting us free."

"Mince?" Misty stared.

"He's the one that grabbed you, and is planning to rape you!" Onterage lowered her head.

Misty felt like fainting.

-----------------------------------

It was silent, but it was dangerous now, they couldn't find Jared anywhere, or Misty. Sammy and Darren sat with silence.

"Darren?" Sammy spoke up, "I'm sorry."

"It's not you." Darren said with his face turned towards a window, "I should've known this was a trap. Now we've lost two, and I don't plan on leaving here without someone still beside me. Mainly Misty."

"I understand." Sammy said, "But I don't think we're going to be able to find either one of them now, not with the 50/7's running around, they'd be dead by now."

"Did you notice though?" Darren lifted his head.

"What?" Sammy lifted her head.

"What were you shooting at?" Darren stood.

Sammy sat for a moment, and then looked at Darren, "you know I don't know, I think it was a chameleon, about your size."

"What if…" Darren said quietly.

"What if we're not alone?" Sammy finished, "What if that chameleon I shot at, survived, and took Jared away, and also have Misty?"

"No…" Darren raised an eyebrow.

Out from behind, hysterical laughed echoed, and both jumped, spun around, and found a flat screen on a wall, showing Mince's face on it, which laughed evilly.

"What the hell?" Sammy blinked.

"Why, if it isn't Darren." Mince's voice deepened, "It's been a while."

"You!" Darren growled.

"You thought you killed me a few years ago, didn't ya?" Mince sneered.

"What are you doing now?" Sammy growled.

"Ha!" Mince barked, "I've got two of your friends here, and I just wanted you to know, one of them have pleased me very well."

Darren snarled in great anger, and raised his first to punch at the screen, but Sammy grabbed his arm, and tried holding him back. Darren grew even more furious.

"No! Wait! Let him talk first!" Sammy told him.

Darren backed off; his back arched, and was still angry.

"I'm surprised you brought Misty down here." Mince continued, "Cause she's in my hands, but I do plan to make a deal with you."

"Which is?" Darren growled.

"If you want Misty back, you're going to have to let Jared, your fox friend here, be my little toy until you get here, then, you'll decide whether Jared's mine, or yours after I'm done with him."

"What do you mean by toy really?" Sammy asked, taking a step forward.

"Don't even bother Samiria," Darren raised a finger, "He won't answer anyways."

"Well, I'll give you a few minutes to talk to Jared," Mince growled a little, "then I'd suggest you boogie down here."

"What about Misty?" Darren growled.

"Tough luck." Mince sneered again.

The screen then blacked out for a moment, then popped to life again.

Both of their mouths dropped, when they seen Jared. His face was bloody, and his neck had bruises and bite marks all over. His ear was bitten, and his mouth was dripping with blood.

"Jared." Sammy said silently with sorrow.

"Why are you letting him do this to you?" Darren asked.

"It's for Misty." Jared said, his voice weak, "I'm doing this to stall time for you guys to get down here as fast as you can. Misty is too damn young to die, and you know it Darren."

"Hold on Jared!" Sammy started to cry a little, "we'll be there to get you!"

"No!" Jared growled, "You can't."

"Don't say that Jared!" Darren growled, "We're getting you too!"

"It's too late." Jared mentioned, "He's already starting to make me into something that'll slow you down, and-" Jared then let out a howl of pain, as his bones popped, his muscles trying to readjust in him, and his voice grew more rough.

"Jared! No!" Sammy cried out.

Jared was able to get his voice back a little, but he couldn't move, "Look! Just save Misty! And get yourselves out! I'm mutating into something that'll help Mince more than ever! And I don't want Misty o be a part of it! Just get down here and save her!"

"Jared! We're coming for you too!" Darren growled, "You won't become anything! We'll be there for you!"

"No! It's too late!" Jared then howled, and his neck vein's bulged out, and his neck started to turn to a darker color. The screen then blanked to black.

"No!" Darren cried out.

Darren fell to his knees, and sobbed, his one friend that he's known for a long time, gone.

Sammy knelt behind him, and set a hand on his shoulder, "Darren. I have to ask."

Darren slightly turned his head.

"How do you know him?"

"Mince…" Darren growled.

"Mince is his name?" Sammy lifted her head a little.

"Yes. Mince." Darren growled again, "Mince Marvelo."

"Odd name if you ask me." Sammy growled, "But, what did he do to Jared?"

"It's something you just don't want to know." Darren growled, "Too gory, to vivid to even think about it."

Sammy nodded, "So how do you know him?"

"He's my brother." Darren cried a little, "My mutant brother."

_It was a horrid thing Mince did, and I still can't stand to think about it, it was just cruel…_


	5. Only the Beginning

**Chapter 5: **

**Only the Beginning**

Misty sat and tried picking the lock that sealed her in the cage, with a small paper clip that barely was hanging on her fingertips. Her hands shook like a rattlesnake's tail, and it was difficult for her to concentrate on how to open the lock.

Onterage perked up, "He's coming!"

Misty quickly dropped the paper clip right in front of the cage door, and scampered behind a box in fright, scared to look at Mince's crazy face. She hugged her knees, and sat with silence.

The steel door swung open, and it shut with a small bang to it, making Misty jump a little in astonishment. She began to get the shivers again, as she heard keys rattle, and drew close to her cell. She glanced over at Onterage, who lowered her head in fright.

The cage's door squeaked open wide.

Misty held her breath; she knew she was going to die in pain. She felt the silent footsteps, and felt her heart skip a beat. She closed her eyes, and begged that this was all a dream, as the footsteps got closer. She then felt a blood like smell just behind her, and couldn't help but peak behind the box.

Nothing.

Misty stared, "Huh?"

It was dead silence.

"BEHIND YOU!" Onterage hollered.

Misty jumped in shock, and began running towards the open door. Her mind focused on her escape, and she felt herself feel even more free, but yet stalked.

The door smacked shut, and Misty ran into it head first, now trapped, again.

"Try again next time," Mince sneered, revealing himself from camouflage, and walking back to the door he came from, "If you can."

Misty growled, "You have no right to live."

He stopped, "Excuse moi?"

"You heard me!" Misty snapped.

Mince turned to her, his eyes narrowed, "If only you knew what it's like being what I am, you brat."

Misty grew mad, "If only you knew what it's like being what _I_ am, you raping mutant!"

Onterage's ears fell back, "Misty…"

Mince's eye, for once, shifted to normal, a dark red, "How do you know what I am?"

Misty raised her head, "What…"

Mince blinked, then grinned, "So you don't know what I am, do you?"

She fell silent; she spoke one word too much.

He then removed his eye patch, and revealed his right eye that said all. Demonic, evil, lusting, creepiness, alienated, and blood crazed. A small slit in his iris was his pupil, and the iris itself was a darker red than the other. And what seemed to be the rest of the eye was pure black.

Misty stared with shock, "Oops…"

Mince then began to hiss.

"L-look, I-I can take that back if you want me to." Misty started panicking, slowly backing away as he drew closer.

"It's too late…" Mince hissed with pleasure, "You're mine, and forever will-"

Gunshots came out of nowhere, and broke down the door to the far left. There, standing in the doorway, was Darren and Samiria, both with their guns up and aimed at Mince's head.

"How dare you!" Mince hissed, back arched a little.

"Oh do I dare…" Darren grinned, "The keys!"

Mince snickered, "No way in hell are you getting Misty back."

Samiria put her gun up higher, "Do it, or we'll kill you for them."

Onterage jerked at her chain, and broke it with two jolts, and sprinted after Mince's keys that strapped around one of the rings on his shredded jeans, and leaped for them. Mince though heard her approach, and spun around and smacked the mutant through a glass window that seemed to link to the other room. Glass shattered, and fell to the ground with wind chime sounds to them. Darren then turned, and fired at Mince.

"Misty duck!" Sammy yelled at her, pointing her gun at Mince.

Misty shifted, and slipped between the bars that kept her in, and made haste towards Sammy. Sharp claws though jammed into her hind legs, and yanked her backwards, slipping her footing, and falling on the ground with a smack. Not looking back, she tried fighting what held her back by pulling away, but the pain was immense.

"Shoot him! Shoot him now!" Darren hollered.

Sammy pointed her gun at Mince's head, and grinned, "Sayonara Mince!"

Onterage leaped from behind the window in fright, and dashed to Darren, the face that showed she was chased.

"Darren!" Onterage howled, "We've got to leave!"

"Why!" Darren yelled over the hissing noise of Mince's cry.

"It's Jared! We've got to-"

More glass shattered, and landed on the ground breaking into more pieces as a large creature leaped from another window behind Sammy, and charged at her without warning. Sammy rotated around on her heel, only to find herself being attacked, and pinned to a wall next to her between the two broken windows. Sammy quickly dropped her gun, and began fighting back against the large beast that attacked her.

"Darren! Misty!" Sammy cried.

Onterage lowered her ears again, "This is bad." She stood, unsure what to do.

Misty shifted again, into what Onterage was, a miniature mutant hedgehog, and swiped at Mince's face. Mince backed off, but only let out a small grunt of ouch, indicating it didn't do much. Misty was able to get the claws off of her and escape and attempted to save Sammy. Leaping at the beast, she shifted to her fox form again, and going for the right arm that was fighting with Sammy's left arm, which slowly was being pushed closer to her body. The beast though spotted the fox from the corner if it's eye, and smacked the fox aside, letting go of Sammy's hand. Misty felt the smack as if it was a shot to the jaw, swift and painful, deeply painful.

Mince then sprinted and grabbed her as she was in air. Both then tumbled on the floor, and fought with one another. Darren rejoiced, and pulled Mince off of her, and socked him in the face, knocking him to the ground distant from Misty.

"Darren! Help me! Hurry!" Sammy cried.

Darren didn't think twice, and brought up his gun and pointed at the beast, which turned its head at stared at him, still pushing on Sammy. Darren was about to pull the trigger when he seen a familiar scar across the forehead. It was dark and deeply engraved, and it was in the same exact spot that Jared had his. His mouth dropped.

_Jared? No…it can't be, it couldn't!_

The beast suspected to be Jared whipped its head back at Sammy, and started to snap at her face, pushing even harder. Sammy though couldn't stand the immense strength, and started to let her arms get closer to her sides as she pushed against it. He heard Mince start to get up, and he quickly spun and hit Mince in the back three times. He then kept it at its position, and also looked at what bullets he had.

He had one left.

"Darren!" Sammy cried out again.

Misty was about to go and make another leap at the beast, but Onterage quickly tackled her down, and kept her still, "Darren! Shoot him now!"

Darren spun his head back at Sammy and the beast, and took a closer look, and found that a lot of what Jared was was on the beast. It was him, and he was what he thought could never be. He shook, and tried to put the gun back up and point at the creature's head.

"He's mutating dammit Darren! Shoot him!" Sammy cried out in fear.

Darren glanced at Mince, who was still on the ground, motionless, he figured he knocked a backbone out, and killed him. He then lashed his head back around, and witnessed veins trying to bulge out of the beast's skin, and seemed to creep across the arms and back, like a worm on ground looking for a destination. Muscles began to grow much larger, and so did the size, back more arched, and claws growing larger, ready to curl into Sammy's skin. It made a loud roar, and tried shoving its body closer, the strength was strong enough that Sammy had to use the wall behind her for the elbows to stay in place as she lowered her head to avoid the fangs that grew longer, and tried to grab her snout.

"Listen!" Onterage spoke, "You know Mince's technique, and you know it can't be reversed in any way! I know he was once your friend, but this is the time to end his misery! Now save Sammy and shoot him!"

Darren closed his eyes, "But what about-"

"Forget Mince! He's gone!" Misty shouted.

Darren spun around, and seen only a glimpse of Mince escape through the door he entered through, blood trailing behind. He couldn't believe he wasted three shots on his back, when he should've aimed at the head.

"Darren!" Sammy cried one last time.

Darren hesitated, and knew Onterage was right, he had no choice, Mince escaped, so don't waste the bullet killing himself. He pointed at the beast, and tried to keep his arm steady, aiming for the head.

"Shoot!" Onterage and Misty shouted.

He let a breath of despair come out, along with a teardrop, and pulled the trigger.

**CRACK! BANG!**

He felt his heart skip a beat, and heard the snarling stop; he then heard a loud thud to the floor, with some clicking sounds of claws meeting the steel. Darren fell to his knees and dropped the gun, devastated.

Sammy stood with her arms wrapping around herself in fear, staring down at the beast, and watched as dark red blood poured from the head, slowly making a pool underneath. She looked away for a moment, and then looked at Darren, who sat with his head down to the ground, sniffing, and seeing teardrops drop from his eyes. Sammy then looked back at the beast, and found what lied in front of her was someone she knew. Normal, white with golden markings, that was now blood stained, Jared.

"Oh my god…" Sammy shuttered, "Jared, he was a…a"

"Mutant…" Misty finished, then shifted to her hedgehog form, and stood by Jared. She too knelt down, and let her knees touch the blood, staining her black pants, but didn't care. Misty stared at Jared, and then lowered her head in silence; she was just beginning to like Jared too.

"Darren?" Onterage called to him.

Darren was dead silent, his head still down to the ground. Onterage then moved right by Misty, and sat, but out of the blood, her expression showed shame, and worry.

"A 50 n' 7."Onterage pointed out, "That's what Mince forced into him, and he's a 70 'n 3."

"Can travel seventy miles an hour, and is three yards long." Sammy sniffed, "How could he do this?"

"It was something Mince did to himself." Darren spoke silently.

Sammy and Onterage turned their heads to Darren, who still kept his head down.

"Mince was one of the top executives here," Darren started, "and was very well known, used to be friendly, and would always participate in these kinds of experiments, experiments on how to make things more strong for combat and defense uses, and to find something that made them us more perfect over the human population. But, the new headmaster moved in, and ordered Mince to use the experiments for more of playing around and finding something that would make one not only stronger, but breed at highly intense rates, rates that would go off the chart."

Misty spun her head around, "So, what happened to him?"

"Well, this was from many people, mainly people like you Samiria." Darren mentioned, "But Mince was doing the breeding rate first, and…" Darren paused.

"Yes?" Samiria tilted her head, "If you're about to say that Misty shouldn't hear this, you're dreadfully wrong."

Darren nodded, "I know, I'm just living back on those memories again…" He took a deep breathe, "Anyways, Mince found a specific combination that made the one in heat had more of a craze, and would lure anything related to its species, including males on males and opposite."

Misty made a belching noise, and stuck her tongue out, "This is _not _what I need to know."

"He was near success one day, just nearby the Downstairs Living Hall entrance," Darren continued, "Until, while one of his assistance was out of the room, something splashed into the test-tube he was working with, and took immediate affect, and started to seep into his skin like a magnet, then it was just seconds later, his mind started to distort, and he lost control over his body. Once he lost control, he just, grew. The substance he didn't realize was also mixed with the crazing substance, and just minutes later, one of his assistance found him gone, the two test-tubes with the substances, gone, and Mince broke through the window like a madman, after drinking both at the same time."

Sammy's eye twitched, "I don't like where this was going."

"It gets worse," a deeper voice spoke behind them.

Darren spun his head, while the others glanced up to see a dark red echidna standing in the doorway, fully armed and prepared for any attack sent to him. His right eye scarred, and his dreadlocks tipped with black.

Samiria raised her head high, "Carlos?"

The echidna smiled, but then frowned to his recent expression of disappointment, all were then focused on him.

"Mince," Carlos started again, "As I was just coming downstairs to bring a document to the headmaster, I heard crashing sounds left and right, snarling and hissing, and people screaming, I though a experiment got loose, but I was wrong when I seen Mince turn the corner, hooked on the walls, spotting me, and just going into a frenzy."

"Then what?" Onterage asked, not surprised.

"I shot him right in between the eyes." He looked down, then flicked his head back up, "Then the bastard got up and ran off. No one knew what happened, it was about a week later, I found him just entering the lab, fine as ever, but in rags and all. He walked to the DLH entrance, then just shut it behind him, leaving this note…"

Darren quickly snapped the note from Carlos, and took a quick glance at it, "How long ago was this again?"

"About five months ago." Carlos spoke.

"I thought it was two years ago though?" Sammy stood, "I haven't talked to him since I left here and when to Night City."

"It seems that way, doesn't it." Darren growled, "Why wasn't I notified of this when this happened."

"Because the headmaster was being an asshole." The echidna growled with Darren, "He was planning on sending Sonic and Rouge down here."

"He did worse." Sammy said, putting her left hand on Misty's head, "He took this one instead."

Carlos let his mouth drop like an anvil, "Misty! Misty RedFlame! The daughter of Kanomi and Tykith? Sister of Kido and Mura? Cousin of Conore Wakison, Siberiana and that jack-ass Brad's son?"

"How do you know my family?" Misty rose to her feet.

"I was there at the reunion." The echidna spoke, "Siberiana invited me, as a good friend of her brother, and I like to call Spidey-Fox, and just before I left, I turn around and find the field nearly fried."

Darren glared up at Carlos, "No time for a family reunion dumb-ass! We need to find Mince!"

"What does the note say?" Onterage asked.

Darren glanced down, "If anyone dares to enter, it maybe the last thing you'll ever do, and I will make sure it will be the last. Signed by Mince Marvelo."

"So if he's your brother…" Sammy tilted her head down.

"I'm Darren Marvelo." Darren lowered his head.

"What does your last name mean?" Misty asked, a bit scared.

Darren sighed, "In Kiroshioneze, my full name means, Dare to See the Light."

Carlos then glanced behind Misty, and just notices Jared's body, lying on the ground, and instantly he lightened up, now knowing what also has happened, somewhat.

"Sorry about Jared…" Carlos lowered his head in shame.

Samiria then started to sob a little, her arms crossed, and let down beside Jared, and laid her head on his chest. She gripped his ripped shirt and sobbed in it, and let the blood on the shirt rub on her face.

"Samiria?" Onterage lifted her head.

"He's…he's gone!" Samiria cried, "why…"

"And you're just crying now why?" Darren stood up.

"Him and I…" Sammy continued to sob, "We were dating, and, we were engaged, him and I loved each other so much, but, since I left this building, all hell broke loose, and now he's gone!"

Darren was dead silent, Carlos' mouth dropped again, and Misty rose to her feet, and spotted the ring that lied in Jared's blood. She picked it up, and went to wipe the blood away…

"No…" Samiria grabbed Misty's hand.

"Don't you want the…oh." Misty's mind just clicked when she figured out why she grabbed her hand. Misty let the ring fall into her hands, and the black and white wolf put it on her finger, and gripped Jared's shirt again.

"I swear…" She growled, "If I see Mince one more time, he's dead…dead!"

Carlos put his gun behind him on the strap, and leaned against the doorway, and lowered his head in respect. Misty stepped back, and stood by him, and waited for something to interrupt, like Mince or something.

There was then a flickering sound of what sounded like a monitor around, then a burst of laughter, the laugh of the deadly Mince.

She thought too soon.

Samiria sprung to her feet and whipped her head around, quickly grabbing a knife in her bloody hands, and stood ready to kill, "Where are you? You blood thirsty cretin!"

"None of your nonsense you mutt!" Mince growled.

She quickly went into rage and found the speaker that he voice came from, and went after it, knife raised up, her eyes seemed to turn pure black with frenzy, and seemed like she was ready to kill anything that stood in her way.

"You fuckin bastard!" She snarled.

Darren quickly sprang up and tackled her down, smacked the knife out of her hands, and held her down with his knee in her back. Carlos quickly slid over and grabbed her head, and kept it down. Misty and Onterage stayed back, seeing the worst of her, as she squirmed violently to get out of the guys grips.

"Samiria! Control yourself!" Carlos snapped.

She slowly calmed down, and listened to what Mince had to say, still in an outrage after being insulted by Mince.

"Ha, you're all going to die down here you know." Mince laughed, "All the experiments are loose, and you're about a half of a mile underground from the exit. Unless you come up with a way to get out."

"I know everything, Mince." Darren growled, "I know what to avoid and what to kill, I know what mutates what, and I know your deepest and darkest secret is, so I suggest you start runnin'."

"Oh I will." Mince sneered, "But before I do, here's a little riddle."

Misty banged her head against the steel wall, "Why does everything have to have some sort of puzzle! We've got enough to deal with!"

Mince snickered a little, "One of a strength, one of a curse. Another with the killing, another with the sight. And one other with the solution. When both hands reach the ceiling, all hope is lost, and the fate is life being bloodthirsty. Find me, and you'll be free, with a choice of two."

Samiria was able to grab a hold of the knife, and stabbed Darren's hand with it. Darren quickly leaped in pain, his cut severe. The wolf then leaped up, shoving the echidna out of the way, and threw the knife at the speaker shattering it to pieces, and the voice quickly died.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Carlos growled, "Now all we're left is with that stupid riddle he gave us to figure out!"

"I don't care." The wolf growled, "We can figure it out anyhow…"

"So what was it?" Carlos asked.

"One of a strength, one of a curse…" Darren started repeating, "Another with the killing, and another with the sight…"

"And one other with the solution." Misty started, "When both hands reach the ceiling, all hope is lost…"

"And fate is life being bloodthirsty." Onterage went onward, "Find me and you'll be free, with a choice of two…"

"I get the hand one…" Darren said, staring at a wall.

"What?" The echidna stood up.

"We've only got an hour and a half before the doors seal shut." Darren said, "Once they do, we're not getting out."

Misty took a huge gulp in fright, she then understood what the rest was, and knew now, this was wartime, she needed serious training, and right away.

_Life sucked back then, year of the riddles, which really irritated me, I'm surprised anyone gets them…_

_I'm actually gonna stop giving my opinions, until the end comes, be aware, it gets even more brutal, and I mean seriously, ten times worse, imagine me explaining how Jared was raped and shifted in the finest of detail, it's worse…_


	6. Not Alone

**Chapter 6:**

**Not Alone**

Carlos growled, "You're brother's a real ass, ya know?"

Darren only replied with a sterile glare.

"We have no time to spare!" Samiria snapped, "At the strike of twelve, we're all doomed!"

"But it might require some dedication on our part to that bastard though." Carlos reminded, "I've dealt with things like this, and once my team nearly died because we forgot a key."

"But where in that riddle does it say we need a key?" Onterage yelped.

"The solution part." Misty raised a finger, "And one other with the solution."

"That could be anything!" Carlos barked.

Misty rolled her eyes, "Better than nothing."

"That or it is part of that choice of two." Sammy pointed out.

"He could pop up right now and we'd still have a problem." Onterage growled.

"How's that?" Sammy asked.

"What exactly is roaming around here?" Carlos turned to Darren.

The chameleon glared at him, and pointed to the dead corpse, "What does _that_ look like?"

Carlos fell silent.

"Okay, can we take this step by step, from the beginning?" Sammy asked.

"How?" Carlos turned to her.

"One with a strength…what does that mean?" Sammy started.

"We don't have time!" Misty cried out.

Sammy put her finger near her, and silenced her, "One with a curse, that may mean something has a virus or something contagious."

"Another with the killing, another with the sight…" Darren thought, "Another with the killing…that…I think means that something here has a kill that was important to us, like, one of the workers here…"

"Another with the sight." Carlos sputtered.

"Cameras?" Misty shrugged.

"Could be," Sammy nodded, "Or that cretin's watching our every move…"

"Or, we're the one's with the fortune-teller here." Carlos pointed at Misty, "She can foresee the future, right?"

"So one with the strength is Darren." Sammy concluded, "He knows what our enemies weakness is, and Carlos is one with the…curse?"

"I don't have anything!" Carlos snapped, "I'd know if I did."

"Another with the killing, that's me, because of the fact I have the rage in me, and Misty is the one with the sight, able to see the future."

"What about the one with the solution? It ain't me." Onterage yelped.

"So we need a fifth person…" Darren growled, "So we're not the only one's down here that's still alive."

"Who though?" Misty asked.

"It could be that cretin." Carlos growled, "Course, Jared's out of the question, sadly."

"That or…" Sammy spoke, her ears flicking up, "Maybe someone else is here we don't know about."

Darren nodded, "we need to move though. Times ticking, and I have a feeling we'll be in a dark hole once the doors shut. And I mean a big hole."

"Okay then." The echidna agreed, "Lets split, me and Samiria-"

"HELL no!" Sammy barked, "Not with Mince running around! We're sticking as one!"

Carlos sighed with grief, "Then tell me where Misty is."

The three adults glanced around, and found that Onterage and Misty were gone, again. Sammy slapped her face in disbelief, and stomped onwards, grabbing Carlos by the dreadlocks, and followed Darren to look for the two, again.

----------------

"Why did we just stray from them?" Onterage asked the black hedgehog.

"I had an image run through my mind." Misty said, sliding to a corner, shoes screeching on the floor slightly from the blood, "It showed a purple chameleon trapped somewhere!"

"Could that be our fifth group member?" Onterage barked.

"Maybe, I hope." Misty sniffed, "I really don't want to die down here."

There was a massive shatter of glass around a corner ahead, both stopped, and bolted behind the nearest doorway to hide. Knowing what happened last time something went boom or crash, things were on the rampage to kill, and neither wanted to take a chance of waiting again while in their path.

They both guessed something was chasing another thing, and waited for the chasers to run away, out of their way. But their minds went blank when they both seeing two large alien-looking creatures tumble towards their doorway, one hedgehog looking, another, fox looking?

The creatures hissed, snarled, bit, scratched, and tore at one another, as they tumbled into the doorway Misty and Onterage went through. The two quickly tucked underneath a desk close to a window, and watched the two monsters fight viciously over what maybe territory, but why, they were both made here, weren't they? Onterage whimpered a little, but Misty was about ready to cry when she seen the fox creature tear off the hedgehog's right rear leg off, she felt her stomach turn in disgust, but knew she had to see it, it was for the better.

_Misty! Where are you?_

Misty blinked for a moment, who spoke in her head.

_Misty! Where are you?_

It was Darren trying to talk to her by thought.

_Misty!_

The fox mutant then spotted her, and her stomach twisted into a tight knot, and she tuned out Darren. The two stared at one another for a while, the fox mutant staring at her with curiosity, Misty staring with fear, fearing if she did anything, she'd die the next second.

The creature was a dark crimson, and somewhat medium size, and thankfully, only had one tail, for it contained underneath the shredded fur, two large spikes in it that sparkled silver against the light.

"Those are friendly." Onterage told her, "They were used to guard the gates, but they cooperated with the lab scientists and everyone in here very well, it should accept you as a friend, not foe."

Misty wasn't quite to sure about Onterage, but sighed, and started stepping out from underneath the desk. She stood up, and brushed her dark pants a little, removing some of the paper debris off of her, and then looked back up at the creature.

"If that's friendly," Misty spoke to Onterage, "Then what about those?"

Misty pointed towards the hedgehog mutant, which lied on the ground dead, for the blood from the leg being ripped off basically killed it after draining so fast. Onterage took a few steps forward, unafraid of the fox mutant, and stared at the dead creature.

"Those I've never seen." Onterage said.

Was it Mince's work?

The creature then ran through the doorway and stopped in front, staring at the two.

"It wants us to follow it." Onterage stated, "Let's go."

--------------------

They sat in a lab room with the lab door shut tight, the thick glass surrounding them, and spilled experiments all over the floor that released a fresh scent. It seemed as where they were at, the place was just attacked, and it might have been just five minutes before they showed. The three stood concerned as Samiria looked over her weapon belt.

"I've got three shots left." Samiria stated, "I then got a small handgun with six shots. Along with two knives, a small whip, and a dart gun."

"Wonderful." Carlos sat on a steel table, "This is the second time you lost her?"

"I still don't get the riddle though," The wolf spoke, "I mean, who's the fifth person?"

"Who knows…" Darren growled, "Jared was probably it."

"That would suck." Carlos growled, "Unless it's that little creature that was there with Misty."

"No." Samiria shook her head, "Unless my daughter's here and-"

"Sammy…" Darren glanced up.

She stopped and stayed silent.

"We just need to reunite with her before anything happens." The echidna complained, "And before the doors shut."

"Or before Mince releases some of his experiments." Darren growled, "Last time I visited him, he was nearly killed by one."

"Good to know." Samiria growled, "And while we're here, it'll probably find us then try to-"

A loud bang against the glass behind the wolf made her jump to her feet, and spun around to see five more hedgehog mutants show up. There was some bullet wounds in them, and they seemed larger than their last encounter, but weren't they supposed to be dead?

Samiria screamed as they stunned her from behind, and Carlos quickly grabbed a hold of her and dragged her back a few feet, away from the glass that was being tortured. Darren didn't bother moving and knew they were safe as long as the glass didn't break.

The creatures stopped and paced back and fourth, waiting for them to get out, and trying to find a way in if they didn't.

"The fuck are those?" Carlos stared.

"Those were supposed to be dead." Samiria stood up, shaking a little, "Why aren't they dead?"

"They may have regenerated and healed their wounds some." Darren stared, "I helped Mince out one time with something like this, this is probably what he was making."

They stared at the mutants even longer, watching them as they continued to pace, their backs arched and their fangs dripping with drool, dying for blood. Carlos stood clueless, unsure of what Darren was talking about, and Samiria.

"They're bigger." Sammy pointed out, "That ain't good at all."

One of the mutants stopped and eyes the wolf, and started to take a few steps backwards, the other three mutants backing up as well, only right and left. The mutant then charged and leaped at the glass. The glass cracked, and the mutant bounced back onto it's back, and quickly rolled over, and stared at the wolf.

"Anyone got any ideas?" Carlos asked, "Before the glass breaks?"

"Besides trying to shoot them, no." Samiria shook her head.

The same mutant jumped another time, and the glass's crack grew even bigger, starting to make circles around where the mutant hit.

"Looks like this is it then." Carlos cried a little, "Sayonara."

The same mutant was about to make a final jump, and backed up a few steps, then all four spun their heads to the right, their nearly decayed ears flickered up in alert. Quickly then the mutants bolted to the left and ran off, leaving the three in peace again.

They stared at the glass for a while; waiting for whatever scared them off to appear.

The echidna quickly grew impatient, "Is it okay to go through the door?"

"I think so." Darren nodded, "Let's go with caution, they can be back around the corner before you know it."

--------------------

The fox stopped in front of a door, and the other two also stopped a few feet away. The creature backed up, and lied on the floor, staring at Misty.

"Maybe there's something in there." Onterage said.

Misty didn't think twice and quickly ran to the door, and unlocked the door. There was a sudden whimpering sound just before Misty reached for the handle. She spun around; the fox was staring at her with content. She turned to Onterage, and found she was watching her with curiosity. It then seemed that the whimper came from inside.

She slowly grabbed the door handle, trembling with some excitement and fear, and slowly opened the door, walking behind it as it opened.

"NO! GO AWAY!" a boy's voice cried out.

Misty jumped and fell on her back in shock, shaking from the sudden cry. The fox creature then stood up and trotted to the paralyzed hedgehog, and stared down at her with wonder. Onterage stared at Misty for a moment, then looked inside the closet.

Her mouth dropped, "Misty! Get over here!"

The fox turned its head to the small mutant, and moved for Misty to crawl to. The small hedgehog then rolled over and dragged herself to the door, and opened it a little wider to peak inside. Her mouth also dropped.

Inside the doorway was a small purple chameleon, about Misty's age, that sat curled up in a tiny cage in a dark corner. His face was bruised from abuse, and small injection wounds bled as her tightened his skin. The chameleon cried his heart out, scared for his life, he didn't want to be experimented on anymore.

Misty stared at the chameleon, and was amazed that he was put in here and left alone, not being attended to, except when being experimented on. She seen a lock on his cage and seen no key to unlock it.

The fox creature seen her eyes pinpoint the lock, and stepped forward to the chameleon's cage. The chameleon then tried to curl up tighter as the creature drew close, scared that it'll try and kill him. The creature simply raised its claws up and smacked the lock, shattering its loop that kept the cage closed, and stepped back. Misty stared at the fox creature.

"I'm calling you Sting." Misty claimed.

The cage door swung open slowly with a quiet squeak to it, and then stopped as it banged against the cage itself. The chameleon shivered inside, still afraid. He then opened his eyes and looked out, seeing Misty, the pronounced creature Sting, and Onterage, standing and staring at him with question. The boy then lifted his head up and stared back.

"Are you okay?" Misty asked.

The chameleon slightly nodded, "Who are you though?"

Misty smiled, "I'm Misty, the small creature there's Onterage, and this is Sting."

"I'm Espio." The chameleon slightly smiled.

Onterage leaped to her feet, "What!"

Espio nodded.

Sting lowered his slim ears back, not really determined about Espio.

Misty stared at Onterage, "Are you okay?"

Onterage stared at Misty, then sat back down, "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Well, Espio." Misty spoke, "Come on, let's get you out and to my friends."

"You're not alone?" Espio cocked his head.

Misty shook her head, "Nope."

The chameleon shrugged a little, and crawled out weakly, his arms shaking with flaw, and his body slimmer than average. As he got out, he collapsed to the floor, and cried a little with pain, for the wounds stung him bad enough.

Sting then waked over and bit his horn, and dragged him fully out of the closet and released him. The creature then lowered itself, and stared at Misty.

"Sting'll carry you." Misty lit up, "So we'll be with the other's in no time."

"Question is will they approve of the two." Onterage rolled her eyes.

Sting glanced at Onterage and lowered his ears again.

"Sorry." Onterage apologized.

--------------------

Carlos pointed his gun out and ready as he lead the other two through the maze of terror, and kept his eyes wide open down every hall, in every room. Samiria and Darren stood side by side, also holding up guns, and watching one another's back when they're not looking.

There was then a hall where no lights were turned on, and Carlos didn't bother looking down there, and spun his back to it and looked down another hall just across that was lit up. That second, claws struck his back and shoved him forward, the gun flying out of his hands. He yelped out in agony, and the other two seen only a glimpse of him falling, and a glimpse of a slim tail.

"CARLOS!" They shouted as they ran.

Quickly they ran to him and seen him fighting a mutant and tried to maul his face, but only struck the side of his muzzle, making it bleed a little. Samiria quickly drew out her gun and took aim at the creature. She pulled the trigger and one shot smacked the mutant on the side, right behind the shoulder, making it fall off Carlos. She then made the mutant take another shot to the head, and killed it as it tried to get back to its feet.

The mutant also had a few bullet holes in it, but it was smaller than the mutants they seen earlier. And it was also an echidna looking mutant. They then stared down a Carlos, who lied on the ground motionless, his muzzle seemed almost ruined, and blood drained from his back from the claws.

"Carlos!" Darren called to him, "Are you okay?"

The echidna didn't move.

Samiria then scampered her weapon belt "Hold on I gotta med kit on-"

Carlos's body then jumped and started to make snarling noises, making the two also jump a little and back off. Darren quickly grabbed Samiria and pulled her back even more away from him.

Carlos quickly leaped to his feet, and then came charging at him, snarling and quickly started to go on all fours. The silver chameleon grabbed the wolf's hand with the gun and pointed at the echidna as hew charged with hunger in his eyes. As the echidna leaped, Darren pulled the trigger, and hoped that the shot didn't miss.

Carlos then flew backwards and slid on the floor and ran into the dead mutant's body, his head pierced by the bullet and bled swiftly. The two stared at the echidna and the mutant, and lowered the gun, dropping it to the ground.

"What the hell?" Samiria cried a little, "One moment he's fine, BANG the next minute he tries to go after us."

'He's the one with the curse." Darren solved, "So even if we leave him here…"

Sammy lowered her ears, "He could still be partly alive and try to find us."

"Hello?" a small girl's voice echoed down the hallway across from the dark hallway.

They both knew then exactly who it was.

"Misty!" The both said at once.

Quickly they scampered to the hallway where it turned left and right, and took a sharp left. Down a ways, Misty was leading two mutants behind her, and a chameleon boy about her age. Their jaws dropped to see her and Onterage not alone.

"Misty! Where have you been?" Darren snapped.

"I found the solution, I think." Misty said, "Where's Carlos."

"Dead, I think." Sammy replied, "He's the one with the curse."

* * *

As you read, I mentioned Samiria was a fox, I actually meant for her to be a wolf (sorry for the mix up, just noticed ;) But just thought I'd point that out. Sorry.


	7. Seduction

**Chapter 7: **

**Seduction**

Samiria grew scared, "And, who are the new members?"

"I'm Espio." The chameleon introduced.

"And this behind me's Sting." Misty stated, "He helped us find Espio."

Darren shook his head, "You're gonna round up a killer if your not careful Misty."

The fox mutant growled a little, taking the comment as an insult.

"Look, we need to move, now!" Sammy said, "Now let's go."

"Go where?" Espio asked her.

"To the main floor as fast as we can." Sammy stated, "We've probably only got an hour or less 'til the doors shut."

--------------------

As they spoke, they then entered a smaller lab room, like the other rooms, it had computers damaged and papers everywhere, experiments spilled, and glass shattered. They closed the door and locked it, so just in case Mince was around, they'd know ahead of time.

Samiria brushed off glass from her chair and sat, "Plus, we still need the Instruct Scope."

"What is that anyways?" Darren stared.

"It a device used to paralyze anything in its way, and also is capable to open locks. And the worst part, it contains some of the most important research in this lab."

"Is that it?" Onterage pointed with her tiny claws.

They turned their heads slightly to see a shattered gun mechanism on one of the computer desks. The pieces were like dust by the look of it, and it covered almost the whole tabletop. All that was actually in one piece was a small chip about the size of Misty's nose, sitting on a separate piece of paper.

Samiria's mouth dropped, "No, it's shattered!"

Misty seen the chop and grabbed it off of the piece of paper full of small notes, "This must have some of the info."

"Great," Darren slouched, "The memory's okay, but the defense is gone. We're still left open."

"And all we have for defense is my last gun," Sammy leaned back, "And you two."

Onterage and Sting looked at one another for a second, then turned back. Misty shrugged out of whatever, and put the chip in her pocket.

Samiria glanced around, seeing that the area's familiar, "We should be near a weapon storage room."

"Cool." Darren stared up, "Where is it?"

"Wait here, I'll go find it." Sammy ordered, unlocking the door, "If I don't return within ten minutes, start running to the main floor."

They nodded as she left.

--------------------

She shut the door behind her, and quickly jogged down the hallway to the right of the room, stopped and looked around, then took another right. As she jogged, she looked everywhere to see any signs of guns, lasers, or grenades, since those would be the first things to see.

She tripped over a metal sheet that ripped from the wall, and was quick enough to regain her steps, but the edge felt like it cut her foot. She glanced down to see, and seen that her shoes were slight indented, but not ripped. She sighed in relief.

She took another left, and two doors down the hallway, there was a gun lying out in the middle of the floor. Quickly she bolted to it, and came to a sliding stop right by it, and looked inside the room. Handguns, machine guns, dart guns, grenades, flash grenades, smoke bombs, gas bombs, machetes, daggers, artillery, and much more filled the room.

She felt she'd just hit the jackpot, and stepped inside, looking for the artillery she wanted first down on her right. She kneeled down and looked through the drawers that were filled with armaments for shotguns, dart guns, and handguns. She closed it, and seen that there was a label on them.

D1-32, D2-45, D3-56, D4-76, D5-84, D6-98, and D7-108

She glanced up to see a chart showing different labels. She scrolled through the list, looking at the artillery names and gun names. She then found machine gun on the list, and scrolled to the right.

F5-72

She smiled a little, "Yes."

She then felt her shirt being yanked back without warning, and went to yelp out in fright, but only found her mouth smacked shut by a damp hand, and tried screaming through it. Her body then was drawn against another body, and the grip on her shirt released her, then grabbed the front of her shirt, and shoved her into a cabinet behind while the hand that covered her mouth rotated around. Her head smacked a handle on the cabinet, and hurt significantly, and it felt as if it just cracked her head open.

She opened her eyes to find Jared's killer right in front of her. She wanted to try and scream again, but after thinking about it for a second, it could cost her her life.

Mince smirked, "I suggest you listen very closely my dear."

She lowered her ears, scared enough.

"You're going to be of service to me," Mince told her, keeping a firm grip on her, "I'm going to release you, but, if you dare try to scream, run, or fight, you'll end up exactly where Jared went."

She wondered for a moment whether to just take a gun and shoot herself, or obey, either way, Mince would still be alive.

He moved his hand from her mouth and released her shirt, but still stood close to her. She wiped her mouth from the slight wetness, and stared up at him.

"Now, I must ask you first." Mince growled a little, "Where's the Instruct Scope?"

"It wouldn't do you any good anyways." She growled back, "either way you want to go, it just wouldn't help you."

Mince sighed a little, and slapped his hand near her head on the cabinet, Samiria flinched a little at the sound, but kept her place. Her eyes stared at him with more anger than fear, and seemed to glow crimson.

"Let's try this." Mince smirked again, "Tell me where it is, or the service will be to please me in the same way Jared did."

She smirked, "Like I told you, even if I were to, it wouldn't do you any good."

Mince grinned, "How's that?"

"It's shattered." She smiled.

Mince sighed again, and stepped away from her, and glanced out the door, "Where is it?"

"Don't know." She shrugged childishly, "Carlos knows."

"And where is he?" Mince turned.

"Dead." She grinned.

Mince stared at her for a moment, then turned his head, and started laughing a little, a deep laugh saying no big deal. Samiria's grin then went dead, and gaped at him, wondering what he was laughing about, and perked her ears up in alert.

He turned and started walking back to her, "No big deal."

She raised an eyebrow.

"But you're still going to be of service." Mince gazed at her.

She then smelled something that seemed like bleach, but a little more toxic. She wondered what it was, and scanned him. She seen nothing, and figured there was probably a mutant nearby, and it spilled a chemical.

Mince then stood in front close to her body, and continued to gaze down at her, lust in his eyes, "Jared was lucky to have you, you know."

She lowered her ears again, "Until you took him away from me you fucking mutant."

He laughed a little again, "And now you're mine."

The wolf then felt a painful sting on her hip, and felt a deep coldness run through the hip. She flinched at the pain, and bent over slightly, the pain running through her like a shockwave. The coldness she felt from the sting then started to spread, and went down his legs and up her stomach. She glanced down to find Mince just stabbed her with a large injection that glistened a transparent but sweet red.

Mince smiled, "You'll wish you never lived when this hit's your head."

The coldness quickly jumped to her chest, and she started to have trouble breathing. The scrawny chameleon backed off and allowed her some room as he pulled the injection out of her hip, and watched her fall to her knees.

Her arms then felt the coldness within, and started shaking, as if she couldn't keep herself up. Quickly the feeling crawled to her neck, and blood started to drip from her mouth, the taste of it though wasn't normal, it seemed as if it was just tainted with sour medicine.

--------------------

Misty's eyes quickly became alert, and jumped from her seat, "MINCE!"

Darren also leaped in a bit of shock, and stared at her, "Where!"

"Take a right, then another right, then a left, and two doors down, there a gun in the middle on the floor in the hallway!" Misty instructed, "There should be a room there! Hurry!"

Quickly the chameleon grabbed Samiria's loaded gun, and quickly swung the door open, and bolted out in a hurry. Misty and Espio were left standing with Sting and Onterage.

"Should we follow?" Espio glanced at Misty.

Misty shrugged, "Why not?"

--------------------

Darren slid and took a right, bolted down the hallway and took another right, then shot again down the hallway and took a left. Like Misty said, there was a large machine gun in the middle of the floor down two doors, quickly he shot down and didn't bother slowing down. He then slid to the doorway, and pulled up the gun as he slid.

"Mince!" Darren growled as he stopped in the doorway.

The scrawny chameleon seen him, and turned his head slightly, and snickered a little at his arrival.

"How did you know I was here?" Mince smiled at him.

"That's not important." Darren growled.

"Well, you're a bit late." The chameleon sneered.

Darren then gazed down to the floor, and found Samiria on the ground, blood bleeding from her mouth, and her body looking deadly cold. Darren's mouth dropped a little in shock.

"Samiria…" Darren muttered, and then glared at Mince, "What did you do to her?"

Mince walked around the wolf, "She was a excellent scientist, and was a valuable person to this place. I'm surprised she was able to fight it back, for ten seconds."

Darren then heard a few feet away, Misty and Espio, in another room, but didn't bother. He kept his eyes on the chameleon and kept a firm grip on his gun.

Mince laughed a little, "You know you can't kill me brother, and you never will if you find a way."

"I know a way." Darren stepped in, "And you know it, you know I helped you with some of those experiments, not realizing you've been tainted."

Mince then let a large grin crease his face, "And you also don't realize that you've also been tainted."

Darren stared at him confused, "What are you talking about?"

Mince stepped over Samiria's body, and started walking to him. Darren kept his grip on the gun, but started shaking a little, which was unnatural. Mince stopped directly in front of him, the gun pressing against chest.

"Welcome to the family." He sneered.

Before Darren could reply, Mince quickly drew out another injection, and stabbed Darren in the chest, pressing the tab quickly that forced the injection into him. Darren then collapsed to the floor, the pain striking him at it's fullest and made him stay on the ground just by the entrance. The silver chameleon then curled up and gripped his chest as the pain took him.

Mince then kneeled and stared down at him, as Darren glared up at him with the expression of you're doomed when I feel better.

Mince grinned, "I honestly didn't want to do it, but you left me with no choice. Besides, you're standing in the way if me getting a hold of Misty."

Darren let out a small grunt, but didn't speak, the pain kept him silent.

Mince then grabbed Samiria's body, and held her in his arms, and gave Darren one last chance to see his evil smile, "Sayonara."

--------------------

They watched the scrawny chameleon walk out with the wolf, and seen Darren left on the ground curled up. Misty felt strongly sorry, and wished she went with Samiria, instead of staying with him.

"Darren." Misty muttered.

Onterage and Sting then entered the room, and perked their heads up through the window. And spotted Darren and Samiria on the ground.

"What's happened?" Onterage asked the two.

Espio then leaped off the chair and curled up underneath the table. Misty and the two mutants stared down at him asking in their minds what's wrong with him. Misty also the quickly jumped down and stared at Espio.

"Are you okay?" Misty asked him.

"He's mutating." Espio cried a little, "He's mutating into a 30/4!"

--------------------

The silver chameleon's body tightened up, and her curled into a tighter ball by force, his heart beating faster, and breathing deeper, his body torturing him. He flopped on the floor, trying to fight the pressure being applied against him, making him weaker and weaker. He howled for help, the pain growing bigger and spreading from his chest all over.

His head started to become agonizing, and he gripped it with all of his might, trying to shake it from him. He rolled and rolled, smacking into the cabinets many times, and being stabbed by the steel handles poking out of them. He started to curl up again, his back round and hard, and his neck stiff.

His chest then throbbed upward, as if something inside wanted out, and he howled again in pain. He closed his eyes and begged for his life to be over, even though he knew he had Misty to get out, he just wished that his life was over for that moment. His jacket ripped open, and so did his chest.

--------------------

Misty heard the ripping sound of skin, and quickly ducked underneath next to Espio, and gripped her ears, not willing to hear anything. Onterage and Sting on the other hand, guarded the door and watched Darren carefully, but with sorrow.

Misty could still hear the howling, but couldn't stand to hear it any longer, and plugged her ears. It still broke through though.

Onterage then glanced down at Misty from the window, "He stopped."

Misty blinked, "That was quick."

"No," Onterage stared, "He's not supposed to."

--------------------

He opened his eyes, the mutation stopped. But why? He gasped for air, only to spurt out blood from his mouth, and to feel his hands shaking badly. His chest though still hurt.

"Hey, Darren! Are you okay?" a male voice spoke to him.

He turned his head slightly, and seen by his side with an empty injection in his hands, a white fox was kneeling by him, the body sort of tore up, but still in one piece. The fox had gold markings, and blue eyes that shown brightly at him.

"What in the world?" Darren tried sitting up.

"You were mutating," The fox spoke, "I was just passing by when I heard you, and luckily found this five minutes before."

"Ugh, thanks Jared." Darren thanked.

He then blinked, and stared up back at the fox. He noticed the same scar he seen, and the same gold markings!

"JARED!" Darren leaped, "What the hell! You're supposed to be dead!"

Jared shrugged, "I know, but then the next thing I knew, I was on the ground all covered in blood."

Darren sat up, and looked down at himself. His lab coat was ripped, and so was his black jacket, revealing to him his partly mutated chest. Rib bones visible, and with the look of Mince's hands, only worse, ten times worse.

He stared up at Jared, "Aren't you supposed to be a mutant?"

Jared shrugged, "Don't remember after I was raped."

Darren's jaw dropped, "Raped? By Mince?"

The fox nodded.

"So that's his way, huh?" Darren gritted his teeth with anger, "Well if that's the case…"

Darren attempted to get back onto his feet, but his chest throbbed with pain, and he fell right on his back again, staring up at the ceiling. The fox shook his head.

"Where's Misty? And Samiria?" Jared asked.

"Samiria's been taken by Mince." Darren explained, "And Misty's in the room across from this room."

Jared looked over his shoulder, and seen Misty's small head poking out, watching them.

"You gonna be okay man?" The fox turned back to him.

Darren sighed, "To be honest, He might actually win over me this time."

The fox shook his head, ashamed, but then turned his head away again, and seen something familiar. He stood up and walked over by the cabinets, and kneeled down, having his eyes on a ring. Samiria's engagement ring. He grasped it into his hands, and held it tightly, lowering his head in distress.

Darren turned his head, "Jared?"

The fox sighed, and set his hand free of the ring on the floor. His fingertips quickly mutating dark claws about an inch long. The fox then turned his head towards another wall; his once blue eyes now red, and a pair of fangs seemed to lengthen as he let a bit of a growl go through his throat.

Darren was able to stand up, pain stroking through his chest as if he took a bullet to the chest, but bared the pain. The chameleon stared at the fox, knowing what Jared was thinking exactly. He then faced Misty, who stood in front of a doorway, and cocked her head a little, fascinated by Darren's mutation.

The chameleon smiled, and seen she enjoyed what she saw standing in front of her.

"Mince," Jared spoke deeply, "of anyone I know, is the most insane, cruelest, and has the most disgusted mind, more than anything. Taking Samiria though, is only going to make him have a taste of his own medicine."

Misty heard Jared, and waved the other's out, and started walking to where Darren stood. Darren spun his head back around to see the fox still angered, which didn't surprise him. Misty peeked inside, and she didn't say a word, she wasn't quite surprised for an unknown reason. The other three stood by her and stared at Jared.

"Like any wolf though," Jared went on, "They know when the line is drawn, and if that line is ever to be stepped over, their rage, their grudge, their hatred, is then put into a fight for a reason. For other's, it's only to piss them off."

The fox stood up, and tightened his fists, still holding the ring, "I drew the line of following and keeping Samiria safe, but he crossed it by not killing me, and taking her away from me. He _will_ pay!"

Misty took a few steps to him, "I have a plan of getting her back, if he didn't do anything to her yet."


	8. Game's Fake

**Chapter 8: **

**Game's Fake**

She awoke, her hands strapped down on a flat bed, and felt lifeless, and barely alive. She didn't even bother looking around, and kept her blue eyes up at the ceiling, and sighed in disbelief.

She felt a small twinge in her hip, a small soreness from when she was stabbed, and passed out with blood dripping out of her mouth. She still tasted her tainted blood in her mouth, vulgar and displeasing, she wanted to spit it out, but it would only land back on her. So she swallowed, and twitched a little. It tasted like cough medicine with a twinge of tequila mixed in, and a bit salty.

She sighed again.

_If anything, I've been raped. And that injection that was stabbing into me is probably something else that's worse. So really this is the end of the road for me. My poor daughter though, she wouldn't live without me. And Jared's son, his life will also be hell._

She heard a door swing open a distance away with a faint screech to it. She continued to stare at the ceiling, but felt a chill down her spine. She couldn't bear imagine what was coming next in a few seconds.

There was then some arguing that started to draw close, quickly she shut her eyes, and eavesdropped on the conversation.

"You still didn't get her, did you?" a rusty male voice asked.

"I had her!" the voice of Mince complained, "I had her in the palm of my hands! And Darren dropped in out of nowhere! I caught her heels for a moment, but then that was the last!"

The voices started to draw closer, and the sound of footsteps echoed nearer.

"You must get her." The other male stated, her footsteps stopping, "Do whatever it takes, but don't kill her! She's valuable. If you have to, go to your fullest, and mutate her!"

Mince's footsteps stopped, his voice deepening, "You don't want me at my fullest, I wasn't near my fullest once, and I grew like a tumor, almost non-stop! And I can already imagine if I were at my fullest. But since you mentioned it…"

Samiria twitched a little, skulked by the thought. She then heard some heavy breathing from one of the two.

"What are you doing Mince!" the voice complained.

Samiria flew her eyes open, and looked to her sides, and found no keys in sight.

"Run…" she heard Mince warn the other male, "And do not come back!"

The wolf had no choice, and imagined herself as a werewolf. She closed her eyes and slipped her mind into shifting mode. Her body glowed into bright light, and quickly the light expanded a little, and fading away in a flash.

More black markings appeared on her, and she was more toned. She didn't think twice, and jerked her wrist upwards, breaking the restraints that held her down with a loud snap.

Luckily, there were no restraints holding her ankles, or her neck, if he'd really wanted to. She leaped to her feet, her back turned to where her feet pointed at, and stared straight ahead.

There stood the headmaster, Huston, who stared at her with some shock, and then spun around and ran off. She knew she wasn't the problem.

There also stood Mince, who's eyes turned a pitch black with red slits, and turned to her, letting out a loud snarl at her, mutating.

She froze, and laid her ears back in a bit of fright, "Oh shit…"

-------------------------

Espio poked his head out around a corner, camouflaged, followed behind Misty, and Onterage, who waited for Espio's signal by his tail poking Misty. He glanced around, glass broken on one side, and blood splattered on a window on the other. He wasn't quite to sure, and rolled back behind the corner, and revealed himself.

"Glass is broken on one side." Espio described, "And blood's splattered on another."

Misty shrugged, "I can check it out."

Onterage growled a little, "With Mince running around, do you even know what he's capable of doing?"

They both stared at the little mutant, and shook their heads.

"I can't believe Darren didn't mention this to you." Onterage growled, "But Mince is also a mutant, and he's almost impossible to kill. There's almost no way to kill him."

Misty's eyes grew wide, "What?"

Onterage nodded, "He's also a shape shifter, but only into different types of mutants, more powerful ones. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a snake right now that's staring right behind us."

Espio whimpered a little, and pointed behind Onterage, "Would that be him?"

Misty glanced up, and Onterage spun around. Onterage then started laughing hysterically, at a statue in another room behind them. It looked like Mince all right, but it looked a bit discolored that it should.

Espio lowered his finger, and stared at the statue, "That ain't him?"

Onterage turned to the chameleon, "No, sadly, he's worse than that."

Misty rolled her eyes, "That helps."

Around the corner behind them they heard a loud crash of glass, and a loud screech that slithered down through the hallways. They spun around and drew close to the wall, and Espio camouflaged again, peeking around the corner like he did before, and watched to see what was going on.

Misty blinked a few times, and seen a view of a black and white wolf running down a hallway, while being chased by something large, dark, and vicious, but was only given the view of large black claws scraping the floor. Misty blinked a few more times, and found herself still behind the chameleon boy, and knew exactly what she seen.

"There's a black and white wolf that's just crashed into a wall over there." Espio whispered.

"Sammy!" Misty snapped.

She quickly ran around the chameleon, leaving him and Onterage to only panic as she ran down the hall. The hedgehog bolted towards Samiria, who leaned against the wall with the blood splats, holding her stomach in pain, and slouching down with her head down low. Misty knew she needed help, before whatever it was with the claws was to attack her.

A large chameleon mutant then stepped out into Misty's view, making Misty nearly shriek, and came to an instant halt, her shoes screeching across some of the blood that streaked the floor, almost making her loose her balance. Quickly she regained her balance, and froze, staring at the chameleon creature, which stood on all fours.

It turned it's head towards the hedgehog, it's black eyes with red slits eying her, large blades trailing down its back, piercing through the blood drenched muscle that sparkled against the florescent lights above them. As it stepped closer to Samiria, still eying Misty, the blades continued down the tail, and ending with a dark gray, jagged blade on the tip, also drenched with blood.

Misty thought her heart stopped, and couldn't believe the size of the creature, it's back more than half way near the ceiling, which seemed to stand up from the ground about ten feet. The claws were black, like she seen in her vision.

Misty started to walk backwards, as the creature started to walk towards her, bearing it's huge fangs out at her, rows of fangs that seemed like implanted knives.

Samiria continued to hold her stomach, and felt around her right leg for a knife she hid, wanting to buy more time for Misty to run. The wolf shifted to normal, a little smaller and whiter again. She felt a knob poke her palm, and she drew up her pant leg, grabbing her knife and stood straight up, ready to toss the knife to buy some time.

The mutant seemed to have sense the smell of metal being drawn out, and quickly spun around, just as Samiria tossed it at the mutant. The creature quickly caught the large knife in its mouth, and snapped it right in half without fear or stress.

Misty's face turned white, "Sammy…"

The mutant raised its bladed tail back, about ready to strike her, as its dark eyes seemed to leer at her. Samiria couldn't move, feeling her stomach going numb, and she slowly started to bend over from the numbness. The mutant then quickly heaved its tail at her. She closed her eyes, feeling she had failed.

As her eyes closed, there was a loud sound of what sounded like a sword slashing something, followed by a tremendous screech of pain, the mutant's cry of excruciating ache. Her arm was then grabbed by a damp hand, with claws that felt thin, and was jerked to her feet with force. She opened her eyes and turned to her assailant, to see the white one with gold markings standing right beside her, with black thin claws, attached to bloodied hands that had no skin.

Her mouth dropped, "Jared!?"

Misty quickly shifted to her fox form, and turned to the two lovers, "Come on no-"

There was a slight splat, then sizzling noise, and Misty started yelping like a mad coyote, squirming around, wiping her face with pain, only then to have her arms in pain. Darren then came running around the corner Espio and Onterage were behind, followed by Sting.

Misty continued to roll around in pain, "HELP! My face is burning! Help!"

Jared and Samiria turned to her, then turned back to the creature, whose tail was flicking about, blood draining from the end, and was about ready to whiplash its tail around. The white fox seen something the wolf didn't and quickly shoved her to the side, and stood his ground towards the mutant, as its tail flicked, and blood came flying at him. He raised his arm up and protected his eyes and head, as his arm started to burn from the blood that flicked at him. He gritted his teeth a little, but otherwise wasn't harmed as much.

Samiria crawled over to Misty, and grabbed her fox neck and then her head, and forced her head towards her. Misty's face bled with agony, still a little steam rising from her cheek with the burning blood embedded in her skin. Samiria then started to feel her hands burn, and quickly released Misty, and shook her hands quickly, trying to shake out the blood that tried to embed in her. She then raised her hands in front of her and seen her hands started to bleed.

"Oh my god!" Samiria cried a little.

Darren quickly slid over to Misty and Samiria, allowing Sting to leap over him and attack the chameleon creature that threatened Jared, baring its fangs, and started to maul the mutant enemy. Darren grabbed Misty's head, and looked at it for a quick second, then stared at Samiria's hands, and quickly helped her up, grabbing Misty along the way. He quickly laid Misty in Samiria's arms, which still squirmed a little, her face continuing to burn.

"Get the others away! Now!" Darren shoved Samiria behind him, and drawing out a katana.

"What about you and Jared?" Samiria turned with worry.

"Just GO!" Jared howled at her.

She stared at them for a second, then towards the mutants that fought, hearing only shrilling racket between them, snarls and screeches, roars and yelps. She growled a little, then started running the way Darren came from, her stomach still partly numb.

Darren started walking towards the mutant, whistling to Sting loudly above the snarling. The mutant fox quickly leaped off of the large mutant, and scurried behind Darren, covered with the sizzling blood that seemed to have no effect. Jared quickly ran beside the chameleon, and stood ready to leap when needed.

Darren stopped, and gripped his katana tightly, "Unsheathe yourself, Mince."

The mutant stared at the three, his black eyes still with the red slits in them, and swiftly mutated, his body growing smaller, and the gross detail disappearing. The tail quickly grew back as he mutated to normal, a light pink, then deepening to a dark red, then original color. In less than a minute, Mince was curled up a little, the black eyes disappearing, but still small red slits in his eyes.

"Don't play the fox with us Mince." The silver chameleon snarled, and pointed his katana in his face, "How do we get out without your consent?"

The mutant smiled evilly, "The headmaster's here, and he has the main keys, but you don't have much time before he reaches the doors, and locks it."

Jared lowered his ears in irritation, "So we need to catch him, how about you do it if you want to live."

Mince grinned even bigger, "Cause I can't die."

Darren kept his katana up, and stepped closer, "I know how to kill you, now tell us where he is!"

The mutant backed up a little, and stood up, "I will, on the contrary you hand over that meddling hedgehog of yours."

Darren gritted his teeth, and stepped closer, raised his katana back at Mince's face, "Over my dead body..."

The chameleon smiled, "Here's the deal, you hand over Misty, who has a chip I'm looking for, and I'll tell you where the headmaster is, and you can be on your merry way."

Jared turned to Darren, "Chip? What chip?"

"From the Instruct Scope Samiria's talked about before." Darren turned slightly to Jared, "Misty still has it."

"Just hand her over." Mince sneered, "She'll be one less problem. The next will be that wolf."

Jared stepped forward a few steps, getting up at Mince's face, "What did you do…"

Darren grabbed Jared's shoulder, and pulled him back a little, and kept his katana up still, "Just listen."

"Nothing really." Mince shrugged childishly, "But you've got some company."

Sting then yelped behind the two, Jared spun around on his heel, and was instantly shoved by a bloody echidna that snapped at the fox viciously, black eyes, and red slits, claws drawn out, and torn to shreds. Darren didn't even bother looking back, and quickly stabbed his mutant brother with the katana in the stomach. Mince screeched out in distress, painstaking and paralyzing, unable to move away from the katana's poisonous strike. Darren then twisted the katana around making the pain even worse for the chameleon to bear with, and forcing blood to drain out like rain water.

Jared held the echidna away from him, trying to keep it from snapping his snout off. He then spotted shattered glass straight ahead of him, and came with the idea of killing the echidna that way. He then took a risk, and released one hand, and socked the echidna across the cheek, making it startled and froze for a second, blood spraying from its mouth. Jared then shoved the echidna closer to the glass, and kicked the echidna in the head, the body flying backwards, and landing right on a jagged piece of glass that poked from the edge of the window seal, and stabbed through the echidna's chest, its heart ripped in half.

In came another large hedgehog mutant from Darren's entrance, and Jared quickly took it on, and both tackled each other to the ground, and fought.

Sting then bolted behind Darren, and down the hallway Samiria came from, and tackled two medium sized mutants just as they walked in, mauling one of them, while the other one tried to fight Sting for its relative's life. Darren turned to the mutants, and jerked out his katana from Mince's stomach, and started walking towards the three mutants, his bloody katana staying in one piece. Mince then quickly grabbed the blade of his mutant form, and chased after Darren with it in his hands, the sleek blade almost like Darren's, but jagged and dark gray, and raised it up behind Darren. The silver chameleon heard Mince's footsteps, and quickly spun around, shooting his katana into air, blocking Mince's attempt to attack from behind, and forced the blades downward to their feet.

"Brother, you're only making this difficult for yourself." Mince told him.

"And it's paying off." Darren growled.

Darren raised his blade back up, and tried to swing at Mince's head, only to collide with Mince's blade again. Mince then started to force Darren backwards, and started to swing at him, making the silver one block for his life. Mince then swung low, making Darren leap from the ground and avoid the blade's swipe. The mutant then make another attempt to swipe, and aimed for Darren's head, the blade's tip sharp like a needle, and missed Darren's head, as the silver one leaned back far enough to keep balance on him. Mince then tried one more time at Darren's feet, and tripped the chameleon over onto his side, and making him drop his katana, that slid behind him for a few yards.

-------------------------

They sat in another room that contained one desk in the messy room, taking care of the wounds that were made, and hoped they wouldn't be found at that time by anything dangerous.

Misty whined a little, her face still stinging from the burning of blood against skin, like an acid. Samiria took a piece of soft cloth and used the sink by the desk to wash her face with it, removing the excess blood from her face that leaked out. Espio and Onterage watched as she treated her, Espio amazed, while Onterage, blank. Samiria grabbed her stomach as she sat back down on the chair in front of Misty, her stomach aching a little from the slash that she took, and dabbed Misty's face.

"You okay Misty?" Espio asked with a little worry.

Misty didn't reply, and lowered her head a little in shame.

"Misty it's okay…" Samiria tried to comfort, "You're not the only one."

"I should've never bolted out like that." Misty cried a little, "I'm sorry…"

Samiria then made a final wipe across Misty's face and dunked the soft cloth in the sink, and washed her hands, "Don't be, I was also attacked, so don't worry too much."

Misty then glanced up at Samiria and stared at her for a minute. Espio and Onterage also stared, and wondered why Misty was looking so hard. They seen nothing, so what was it?

"Are you pregnant?" Misty asked.

Samiria flicked her head around and stared at Misty with amazement, "Excuse me?"

Misty hopped off of the desk and walked over to Samiria, "I'm telepathic remember."

Samiria quickly grabbed herself around the stomach, "No…I can't be."

Onterage also whimpered, "Mince is well known for doing that…"

Samiria leaped a foot away from Onterage in shock, "I'm carrying Mince's CHILD?"

"There's kinda a cycle with him." Onterage lowered her head, "And it's going to be bad."

Samiria fell into the desk chair, still holding herself, "You're joking? How do you know?"

"Look under your shirt." Onterage pointed out.

Samiria wasn't sure if they were just messing with her, or if they were actually telling the truth, either way, she felt like throwing up. She looked down at her bloodied white shirt, and then at Onterage, wondering what looking at her stomach would do. Onterage gave her a nod to the head. She sighed a little, irritated, then grabbed her shirt and lifted it up just underneath her breasts.

Her stomach, like Mince and Jared's hands, had no skin, and was almost pure muscle, a bit dark and reddish, showing partly her rib cage. Her mutated stomach also showed a small child in her in the shape of a chameleon. Her mouth dropped and she gasped in shock, quickly flipping her shirt back down. All of their mouths dropped, Misty looking away in disgust, Espio shaking a little, and Onterage lowering her ears slightly in sorry.

Samiria leaned against the wall and gripped her stomach, "Oh my god…"

-------------------------

Darren quickly bounced to his feet again, and caught the large blade in his hands, only to be shoved into the wall behind him, and become pinned against the wall. Mince forced the blade against his brother's neck, making his hands bleed, and stressing him out. The scrawny chameleon then got close and leaned against him, grinning evilly, blood seemingly drip from his mouth and trace down his fangs that he revealed.

"You won't walk out of here alive." Mince sneered, "Nor will anyone else that lurks here. This is where you will suffer, die being mauled, tortured, and ripped to shreds. There will be no escape. The riddle was only to distort your plan, and to make you panic, thinking that by now, you'd be locked up."

Darren then turned his head slightly at the clock that hung near the blood wall, and it said exactly twelve. Mince wasn't lying, he did do that to mess their escape a little, and it worked.

Darren turned his head back at Mince, "You also know that you'll be hunted down, and be shredded, shot, sliced, diced, and become mince meat to the wolves. And you also know that you'll never get your hands on Misty again. Never!"

Mince's grin grew a bit bigger, "Oh yes I will, cause she won't see me coming. I will capture her, use her as my breeder, to make the ultimate weapon, and when she reaches sixteen, she will be my wife, pleasing me every minute of the day until the sun dances to the darkness for the moon to rise."

He leaned over his blade and their horns touched slightly, Darren growing more furious by the second. Mince though still kept grinning with pleasure in his eyes, "She will soon be brainwashed, and will love me for the rest of her life without knowing whom she once was, and we will live forever."

Darren grew furious, roared with anger, and kicked the chameleon backwards, shoving the blade with his hands away, making enough room for Darren to spin and do a high kick, swinging his leg around as he leaped in air, and kicked the chameleon right across the face. Mince's blade flew out of his hands, and clattered with Darren's blade, both dancing across the floor for a second, then silenced as the blades lay still in the middle of the hallway.

Darren landed on his feet, and stood ready to fight Mince fist to fist, watching the chameleon leaning against the wall, holding his head slightly from Darren's kick. Mince glanced up, and grinned slightly, taunting him for another kick, but quickly bolted form his place to the left, and ran down the opposite way the others headed down. Darren didn't take a chance of losing the chameleon again from his sight, and quickly followed behind, destined to catch up to him.

Jared had just got done fighting with the mutant hedgehog, and cracked it's neck, twisting it a full three sixty. He glanced up towards the hallway Darren and Mince ran down, then down towards where Sting was last seen fighting, and seen the mutants the fox mutant fought and the mutant itself was gone. Unsure where the fox mutant went, and not willing to help Darren any longer, he turned and ran down the hallway to find Samiria and the kids.

* * *

OKAY! Oo!! I finally got this chapter done! XP I am so sorry for te long wait, and I apologize for getting too ahead on te War Begins sobs

Enjoy it until Chapter 9 ::::


	9. A Sad Truth

**Chapter 9: **

**A Sad Truth**

Darren was starting to fall behind as he chased after Mince, who lastly took another left turn just after a large window on the left wall. Darren quickly made haste to the door then turned, entering a huge white room. He skidded to a stop, black shoes slightly screeching against the floor. He stood and looked around the large white room, seeing a massive device attached to the ceiling, pointing down at a stretcher with mechanic arms with needles and other attachments attached to the ends of each mecha arm.

He slowly paced through the room, looking around for any signs of Mince, near the device, camouflaged with the walls, whatever seemed to hide Mince from his sight. He continue to creep up near the stretcher, keeping his head turning, and keeping his body active to sense any presence, staring around, and arching his back slightly. He stopped just passed the stretcher, and took a quick scan around him, seeing white walls and the device, and the stretcher, and the door shut behind him.

He stood still, and tried to listen carefully for any small clicks, breathing, or anything that seemed like a sign. He closed his eyes and kept his position, forcing his energy to his skin, to feeling the moving air, to listening to the silence, to hope for something. There was a bit of a twitch he felt behind his head, he flicked his eyes open, and turned his head slightly, seeing something move I the corner of his eyes.

He quickly spun around only to find massive gaping jaws with huge fangs stretched and open, seeming like the mouth was bigger than him himself, and thrust at him.

----------------------------

Samiria sat in her chair, her right hand on her forehead, scared, her stomach slightly throb with pain, making her even more scared for her life. The other three sat and waited for something to happen or someone to come, it seemed like forever they had to wait.

Jared then slid in from the hallway and stared into the room with his eyes flocking about, seeing that everyone looked okay. He spotted Samiria, and quickly ran over to her, and kneeling by her side, and hugging her, tears running down his eyes in happiness. Samiria slightly jumped, but seen that Jared was near, and quickly grabbed a hold of him, quickly beginning to sob a little.

Misty and Espio sat side by side, and watched as Jared and Samiria reunited, both crying slightly, worried about each other, and happy to see they were both still alive.

Misty remembered a few years ago when her brother and sister were around, and her mother, they'd all have fun and play with one another, shifting to their fox forms and chase each other in the field of her hometown. Her brother, Kido, and her sister, Mura, and her, Misty, had the greatest of memories, and they used to be happy when all was peace. Her mother, always smiling when all three would leap into her arms, was something Misty would always remember, cause she had the signature smile of the RedFlames.

Even though Kido was ten years older than Misty and Mura, he still enjoyed the two, and would do whatever to make them happy. Mura was just a day younger than Misty, and it definitely showed, she was more playful than anything else, always leaping on everyone when she felt the tinge of happiness strike her. Misty though followed her brother's footsteps, and became a bit more boyish and more serious, but yet still had the heart of a child, and when her sister would play with her, she'd play like her sister.

Misty let a teardrop drip down her cheek, and wiped it away with her arm. Espio turned and seen Misty cry a little, and felt deeply sorry, not for himself, but for her mainly. Misty let another teardrop trickle down her cheek, and this time, Espio wiped it away from Misty's face with his finger. Misty turned to Espio, then hugged him, her fur rubbing against his scales, and started to let down more tears, but didn't make a sound. Espio shrugged slightly, and also hugged Misty, and watched as Samiria and Jared embraced one another, and let down a teardrop of his own, feeling the happiness and sadness that choked his throat a little.

Onterage just sat, wondering why she was the only one that wasn't crying, and rolled her eyes slightly irritated, and decided to break the happiness back to misery, "Samiria's pregnant."

Jared stopped, and turned towards the hedgehog mutant, then towards Samiria, his expression showing a shock of disbelief. Samiria nodded slightly, and lifted her shirt up slightly, revealing part of her mutated stomach, and partly the chameleon embryo that seemed visible through the transparent muscle.

Jared's mouth dropped, and he fell onto his hands and rear, shocked, "No…"

Samiria nodded slightly, "Mince's…"

Jared sat with his mouth open, and unsure of what to do or say, and lowered his head. His mutated hands bled from the acidic blood that embedded itself in the muscles of his hands. He sat with disbelief, and was unsure if anything was possible at this time, he even wondered if escape without harm was possible for Misty and Espio.

He glanced at Misty's face, seeing it was partly still bleeding, he was wrong.

"What are we gonna do?" Misty asked the fox.

He shook his head, and sat back up, but stared down at the floor, "I don't know."

Espio then flicked his head up and stared up at the glass, seeing something move up ahead in the hallway. He continued to look, seeing if whatever moved will move again, his gold eyes tracing every detail for anything suspicious.

"Sting…" Onterage spoke.

Espio spun his head around and seen Onterage's back turned, he quickly spun his head back around to see the mutant fox struggling to survive. Bloody, and torn, the thin skin that covered it shredded, the muscles ripped from their placements. The mutant fox then finally collapsed, it's body lying motionless in the hallway.

"He survived longer than the other two mutants." Onterage spoke.

They all directed the attention to the hedgehog mutant, seeing her sitting with her head lowered.

"Here's a secret that only the headmaster and Mince only know." Onterage exclaimed, "These mutants that roam here, the creatures that attack here and there, that mutant fox entitled Sting, and even I, are victims.

"We are innocent people of your type, taken by the corporation's secret guards, and used to be experimented on. If the experiment failed, we were locked in the Downstairs Living Hall, where Mince watched us closely. I was one of them, but I was able to slip through the bars and try and find help. Misty was the first to see I was of no harm, which was to my deepest surprise.

"Reason why Espio was placed in a cage, already injected, was because he was next, and the injections were put in to stabilize his mind from any sudden changes once the experiment is taking place. They do this about two hours before, so the injections could circulate throughout the body thoroughly.

"And why my name was the code to releasing those experiments, well, is…"

The mutant sighed a little, "I'm Mince's child."

Misty leaped a foot away from the mutant, falling off the table and shifting to her fox form in shock. Samiria and Jared's mouths dropped a little, and Espio only stared at Misty as she lay on the ground. It was a bit of a shock to them, but Misty definitely didn't see it coming.

Misty leaped back onto her feet and stared frightened at the mutant hedgehog, "H-How? You're a hedgehog!"

Onterage lowered her head, and started to mutate quickly, her body growing more skin, and covering her body with teal color scales. Onterage quickly got done shifting, and what looked like a mutant hedgehog was really a chameleon child sitting in front of them.

Their mouths then dropped with a shock of horror, seeing that a child in mutant form was really Mince's own daughter. Onterage then quickly started to sob, kneeling and lowering her head to the ground, scared. Samiria quickly fell from the chair to grab her, and hugged her, feeling the pain she had to suffer. She grasped the chameleon tightly, the child sobbing and gripping her shirt tightly, unable to bear with the emotional pain.

"Like Mince," Samiria remembered, "Capable of shifting into any sort of mutant species desired, I just never thought he'd do this to his own child."

"Remember," Jared reminded her, "About a year ago, he was the greatest of people, loved her with all of his heart, he loved everyone that was worth caring about. But when that accident occurred, _that_ is what changed him. It isn't anyone's fault, but yet realize that there's no turning back, and that you must move on."

Samiria gave a small glare, "We can't kill him. And I can't bear killing this poor child. So what do we do?"

Espio stood up, "If we find Darren, maybe we'll know how."

Jared nodded, "He knows how to kill him, so yes, we should."

Misty then dragged out the small chip that she pulled out, "What about this?"

Samiria stared at it for a moment; the glare fading, and still held Onterage in her arms. She didn't really want to answer, cause she had no idea what to do. She felt helpless.

"Keep it." She told her, "If you get out, you're taking that with you."

Jared then flicked his ears up, "Huston!"

Samiria flicked her head towards him, "What?"

"We need to find Huston!" Jared growled, "That riddle that Mince gave us, that was just to get us worried, it's Huston that we need to get to, before he locks us in."

Misty nodded slightly at Jared, then turned her head towards the door, and had a thought cross her mind; a thought of he was near. Misty quickly leaped to her feet, and ran to the door, leaving everyone else behind. Jared's ears twitched with danger nearby, and quickly ran after Misty.

Misty stopped just outside the door, and looked to her left to see the hallway extending for many yards, and seen a right corner a few yards from her position. She then spun around and stared at the other side.

Jared quickly grabbed Misty's small body, and jerked her from her position, pulling her back into the room she was in. As he pulled her back, they both fell backwards into the room they were in, barely missing a large serpent-like head whip out in front of them, open it's gaping jaws with hugs fangs, and snapped right in front of them.

The two fell backwards into a silver cabinet, with Jared's back being stabbed by the small silver handles that poked out. Onterage quickly sprung form Samiria's arms, and Samiria bolted form her spot, and shoved her body against the door, shutting it, but not releasing the knob that she grabbed. The door then shoved her, almost making her fall backwards into the wall behind her, feeling outstanding force being put against the door on the other side. She fought with whatever was on the other side, and kept her heel against the wall behind her, hoping someone would come and help her.

Jared quickly got up and set Misty aside, and ran over to the door, and body slammed against it, making some of that force back off, and allowing him to help Samiria, and push the door almost shut. The force though kicked back and body slammed into the door, pushing both of them almost against the wall.

Onterage spotted a vent in the wall, and quickly waved Misty and Espio to follow her. All three quickly pulled the vent guard off, and crawled inside, Onterage first, then Espio. Misty stopped and glanced back at Samiria and Jared, who pushed against the door to keep the enemy out.

"GO!" Samiria cried to her, "Get out! Now!"

Misty sniffed a bit, wishing that there were something she could do to save them both from their death. She though knew that she alone was valuable, and with the chip with her, it made her extremely valuable, so she spun around and leaped into the vent, and crawled through the small corridor that the other two were in.

Samiria turned to Jared, "Honey! I hate to ask, but what about me?"

Jared turned her head slightly, "Can you fight?"

"Yeah." Samiria answered.

"Well I hate to break it to ya hun." Jared apologized slightly, "But until this is settled, you're gonna have to live with it for a while."

Samiria let out a small grunt of irritation.

"Hang on." Jared warned, grabbing a hold of her shoulder. He pulled her back behind him, and the door came flying open, smashing them both against the wall. Jared though took the damage from the door, and quickly started to mutate into his gifted mutant form, and stood guard of Samiria. Samiria wondered if they were going to live or die, and wondered if Misty and the other two were going to make it out alive.

----------------------------

Onterage kicked the vent guard off from the wall, and slipped out from the hole, she glanced around to see they were on another floor. This was a good thing; the floor they were on was underneath the floor that held the stairs to the main floor. She seen nothing of harm was around and waved the other two to hop out.

Espio slipped out, and stood by the wall, waiting for Misty to slip out. Misty quickly jumped out and landed on her feet, then stood up and glanced up, seeing how far she fell from the hole to the ground just out of curiosity.

The other two also glanced up and stared at the hole blankly.

"Wonder what attacked us." Espio questioned

"Something that I'd thought I'd never imagine." Misty said, "What looked like a snake was really something attached to a mutant, a mutant that I thought was huge."

Onterage slightly nodded, "A level five Serpent Licker Mutant."

They spun their heads to Onterage.

Onterage stared back, "Some mutants have levels, or stages. Each stage is somehow more powerful. Level five is of the most powerful, and no mutant has any control over their body when they shift to level five. Even my dad couldn't."

Misty remembered that Onterage was Mince's kid, and tried to keep that in thought. She knew one thing, emotional distress of the child won't do anything to make Mince's mind normal again.

He was like that forever.

Behind them, footsteps echoed with the sound of boots clicking with the metal surface. They spun around to see who was behind them, and found the fat bastard behind most of it. He stood with keys on his belt, and his blue jacket covering his black shirt, and held a handgun in his left hand.

Huston.

They stared at one another, the three kids staring at him with deadly glares, while he stared at them with amazement and raised his gun up, trying to decide which one to point at.

Misty stepped forward, "Where are the keys?"

The fat human smiled a little, "Why are you still alive? You know how dangerous it is in here."

Espio then stepped beside her, "Give us the keys."

Huston the pointed the gun at Espio, "So they found you before Mince could start, lucky. But you won't last."

Onterage then stepped up beside Misty, "We want the keys you fat bastard."

Huston the directed the gun at Onterage, "If you weren't Mince's daughter, I would shoot you. But since you are, I can't. And I won't give up the key until you give up the chip."

Misty stared menacingly, "The chip that was inside the Instruct Scope?"

Huston nodded, "I am not though afraid to shoot you though."

Espio growled a bit, and stepped in front of Misty, "you'll kill me first before you kill Misty."

Huston pulled back the hammer of the gun, "Fine you first, you have the count to three until-"

"Hold your fire Huston." Mince's voice echoed.

Their bodies froze, and they spun around, their mouths plunged to the floor, seeing Mince leaning against a wall behind them, laughing a little. Espio pointed at Mince slightly, then spun and glanced past Huston blankly, then back at Mince, confused.

Mince rubbed his black claws against his ragged coat and grinned evilly, "You know, I'm actually very proud to see you three on this floor. You should've been with Samiria and Jared, where they suffered."

Misty growled slightly, her skin biting a little from the irritation she got. They all then heard Huston approach behind them, and directed their attention to him.

"Mince," Huston lowered his gun, slightly smiling, "You do realize how important these three are, right?"

Mince gave an aversion stare at Huston with his head low at the ground, and watched the human's approach.

"I mean, Misty, of all of these three," Huston waved his gun at her, "She is of most importance, not only to you, but to me. I knew her mother."

Mince stared for a moment at the human as Huston stopped a few yards away from the kids, and let a grin crease his face, "So did I."

Misty's face turned white, "You know my mom?"

Mince laughed a little, "I may have become a different person, but my mind's as sharp as a steel trap."

Huston the lowered the gun, "How do you now her?"

"I dated her for a while." Mince explained a little, "Beautiful as she ever was, the crescent moon scar signifying her family resemblance, had three kids, Kido, Misty, then Mura, and was happily married to Misty's father. I was still considered a friend until I moved here. That is how also Darren knew her."

Huston then raised his gun at Mince, "She's evil, and you know that!"

Misty didn't want to listen anymore, and covered her ears, falling to her knees, Espio and Onterage also kneeling by her and stayed close as they watched the two.

Mince's grin faded, and went back to a glare, a lot more threatening though, "You know that too. So what are you point the gun at me for?"

"Cause she's mine!" Huston growled, "I found Misty! And she's coming with me! She has the chip! She has what I'm looking for! She's mine!"

The kids crouched a bit lower, starting to creep over against the wall. Mince raised his head up, and stared deathly at Huston, seeing that Huston was starting to break the deal him and Huston had.

"I know what you're going to do with her!" Huston growled, "You'll experiment on her, make her like what you did to your daughter, and she'll never see the light of day again"

Mince started to grow defensive, and started walking towards Huston, a small growl being made in his throat. The kids huddled a little and coward against the wall as Mince walked in front of them, still focused on Huston.

"You're brother!" Huston spoke more, stating to step backwards a little, "He was planning on killing you! Since you killed your wife. He doesn't want you to live anymore; he's embarrassed by the fact that you turned evil! Even though Misty's mother is also evil, but you don't really ca-"

"SILENCE!" Mince snarled.

The kids jumped a little, and watched as Mince's back slightly arched, and his tail whip back and forth. They all glanced at one another, and gestured their heads slightly to move against the wall to the next hallway. They all agreed, and slowly started to creep towards the hallway, watching Huston and Mince.

Mince continued to walk forward, "You speak of lies Huston, and to speak of my past. You dare speak of my past! Using the most disgusted lies I've heard! You've just drawn your last line…"

Espio quickly pushed Misty, and all three bolted around the corner with fright, not willing to watch what was about to come. Huston spotted Onterage running lastly, and pointed the gun, and pulled the trigger. The bullet soared towards Onterage, as she slipped on the floor, and was quickly trying to get up. Mince though quickly put up his hand, and caught the bullet with his mutated hands. A huge sting of pain struck his hand, the bullet burning and stinging his hand violently. Mince though didn't care, and held the bullet in his hand, and kept a deadly glare on Huston.

"My wife," Mince snarled, "Wasn't killed by me, she was shot because of one of your guards! And that was _after_ the accident! That was after I found out she was having another child! And you planned on killing my daughter?"

Mince dropped the bullet; the bullet fell to the ground with a small clicking sound, and slightly smoking from Mince's blood being acidic. The chameleon clinched his hands together, and started mutation quickly, his muscles bulging and growing bigger.

"You don't deserve to live." Mince snarled, his voice becoming more alien like, as his body grew rapidly.

Huston put his right hand on the gun that he held with his left, and fired at Mince, hoping to kill him. Mince though sprinted at him, and bared his fangs and claws, making Huston lastly see black eyes with red slits in them.

----------------------------

They scampered down the hallway as fast as they could, hoping to either get out from the level they were on, find Darren, and or find Samiria and Jared okay. All these three were determined though was they needed to get away.

They screeched to a halt just after a corner, and just while a loud roar of Mince's mutant form bounced through the hallways that didn't sound close. They all sighed, and fell against the walls, and sat there gasping for air. Onterage sat with concern, her eyes staring down the hallways wondering what next was to come. Misty lay on the floor breathless, her head up at the ceiling and felt like falling asleep, there's just been too much that has happened. Espio sat next to Misty, his body aching slightly; he hasn't had to run so fast for a while, since after being kept in the cage.

Misty turned her head slightly towards Onterage, "You have any idea how to get out?"

Onterage shook her head, "I actually haven't been above this floor, when I first seen you I just got done exploring the floor we first met on."

Misty lay her head straight up again, and sighed.

"Great…"

Espio looked around, and seen many humans in the lab dead, and some of what they were also dead, their bodies torn and bleeding endlessly. It also occurred to Espio that the hallway they were in was covered by spilt blood from each lab, almost covering the entire floor in redness. Espio gulped a little, a bit uneasy at the sight.

Misty turned to Espio, "The blood on the floor?"

Espio nodded slightly, "That's the most blood I've seen spilt in my life."

Onterage spun her head around and took a quick look, and nodded slightly, "what sucks is once all the living have been killed, they start feeding on one another, and mutate into unreal creatures, not only are they feeding on our and the human's DNA, they are also feeding on the experiments, and gain unbelievable shape. It's horrible."

"Like Mince." Misty growled slightly, and turned to Onterage, "I'm sorry Onterage."

Onterage shook her head, "Don't be. It's no one's fault anyways for dad's mutation."

The two nodded in agreement.

"Here's the truth." Onterage explained, "Really, he didn't turn crazy when the solutions were spilt, it's just he mutated so fast he jumped through the glass window and tried to regain control of his body. When he did, Huston found out of my dad's new ability, and asked one of his guards to kill my mom for my dad to go after Huston. When she showed up, Huston had prepared a solution for mind distortion, and shot him with it.

"It's never been the same since…"

Misty raised her head, "If that's a case, can we reverse the distortion?"

"There's one way." Onterage glanced at Misty, "That chip, that's really a instruction sheet to a special device used to distort gravity, but also sometimes distorts solutions injected into the skin. Basically, like a leech, sucking the solution out of the skin."

"Where is it?" Espio raised his head.

"That I don't know." Onterage said depressed, "But that's why Huston and my dad have been looking for the Instruct Scope, was for that chip. And if that chip is fallen into their hands, they'll look for the device."

"Huston's dead though." Espio reminded.

Misty sat up, "Doesn't mean Mince is though."

"If you find the device, you should be able to cure my dad's distortion, and he'll be able to regain his mind back. But it won't cure the mutation."

"Figures." Misty rolled her eyes slightly.


	10. Samiria's Cure

**Chapter 10: **

**Samiria's Cure**

"Well, let's go." Espio stated, "We should try and get to the next floor."

They stood up and faced where they came from.

"Do you think Sammy and Jared's okay?" Onterage asked.

"Dunno." Misty shrugged, "Bet let's go."

They spun on their heels towards the bloody hallway. As they turned, a snarling noise snapped in front of them, making their bodies jump a little, and their faces were quickly struck his shock. There stood an echidna mutant, like the other's muscles with blood, and sharp fangs that snarled at them, a whip-like tail with a small jagged blade, and demented eyes, blood dripping on them.

It started to walk on the blood towards them, forcing them to start walking back with fear. At least five yards long, the mutant crept closer to them, stepping into the blood with a small splat sound on each step. The kids kept their eyes on it, watching for it to get ready to sprint, and watching to see if there were any secret weapons on it.

The creature snarled, and charged at them, its claws scraping the bloody floor while the claws made screeching sounds.

From behind the kids, four gunshots echoed in air, and the echidna creature fell on its stomach, sliding across the floor. Its head was shot at three times, and its right shoulder was also shot. The kids stared with fear, and crept backwards a few steps, watching as the mutant took one last breath.

Misty spun around, and spotted a black and white wolf standing behind them, her shirt drenched in blood, while a white fox with gold markings stood holding the gun towards the creature.

Misty's mouth dropped, "Sammy? Jared?"

The other two spun around and spotted them and also stared at them with shock.

Jared lowered his gun, and glared at Misty slightly, "Where's the chip?"

Misty stared at Jared, wanting to repent against what he asked.

He lowered his ears, "Misty…for your sake, I need that chip."

Misty took a step back and growled slightly, "No…"

Samiria's ears flicked up, and stared at the hedgehog, then faced Jared, wondering why she said no.

Jared sighed a little, "Misty, I don't know what you plan on doing with it, but it's better if it was in my hands."

Onterage stepped forward, "Maybe I should explain, follow me."

-----------------------

The chameleon gasped for air, blood draining from his mouth, and all over the dead human that lay lifeless beside the chameleon. Mince sat on his hands and knees, in his normal form like before, shaking violently. His eyes were closed, and he breathed heavily, blood slithering down from his spine, where he was shot a few times, and blood rained down his face, from being stabbed in the head once.

He remembered, before the accident that wasn't of Huston's, Misty's mother. She was a gorgeous hedgehog, black with red and violet markings that blended so well, it was like pearl paint on a car's hood. When she spun her head towards him, her red markings revealed some violet when in the shade. She had many quills that streamed down her backside, from front view it was like sectioned hair that were parted just right. Slender built, slender face, but strong hearted, and very daring and risky.

He remembered the crescent moon scar, ever since they met, she remembered his smile that showed pride, and he remembered her scar, the symbol of her family bloodline.

Darren was of not jealousy, but was proud. At that time, they were a lot younger, and a lot more teen like, they were about twenty-one. Darren was proud by the fact that Mince was finally loosening up on the science, and started to live a little more.

**FLASHBACK:**

Mince, with no problems and an ordinary chameleon, drove up in Darren's Gallardo after a meeting at a restaurant for lunch, and parked it behind his own Olds 442 W-31, and shut it off. Before though he got the chance to get out, Darren quickly slid over and slammed the car's door back shut, scaring Mince a little.

Mince jumped, "Gah! Darren!"

Darren grinned, "Hey! You've got to meet this girl I met."

Mince stared at his brother, 'Hey, look, don't get me started with the whole date-talk and crap, I've got to-"

Darren slapped his hands on the door, "No! You don't understand! She's gorgeous! You've got to meet her! I guarantee you, you'll fall head over heels for her right when you see her! Come on!"

Mince stared blankly, "Is she really here?"

Darren nodded, smiling.

Mince shrugged, "Fine. But I need to-"

Darren quickly spun around and slapped his hand over the younger chameleon's mouth, "Oh shut up about your science crap and just get in!"

Mince growled a little, he had a letter to type up, and yet Darren wants him to loosen up, yeah right. He got out of the exotic and followed his older bro inside, Darren walking inside first.

Mince turned to check the mail in the small black box on the side of the house, but Darren quickly grabbed his white lab coat's collar, and jerked him inside, making Mince smack both of his horns along the siding of the doorway. Darren the shut the door behind them and dragged the chameleon into the den.

"Her she is." Darren stated, releasing Mince's coat collar.

Mince regained his balance, and spun around and gave a bit of a glare as he looked. His eyes though when into shock, and his mouth dropped instantly, his red eyes flickering red in amazement.

There sat a black hedgehog with a red shirt and black bell-bottoms. Her quills were marked with red and violet colors, as the quills echoed down her back. Slender in all ways, except she was top heavy, big time!

Mince was speechless, and didn't even realize his mouth was open because of her beauty. She was like a phoenix; she just seemed to flare out beauty without warning.

The female hedgehog smiled, "So you're Mince, I'm Klaira."

Mince then was able to realize he was gawking at her, and got his mind back into his head, and quickly stood straight, "Uh, yes, I am. Um…"

Darren leaned on Mince's shoulder, "excuse him, he's in awe right now."

Klaira blushed a little, "For a geek, I don't blame him. Kinda cute too."

Mince then blushed, letting a small smile crease his face.

"Well, I've got dinner reservations set up for you two." Darren said, "So about eight, right?"

Mince then stared at Darren, "B-But…"

Darren turned and glared at Mince slightly, "Look, it's four, you've been at that meeting since twelve, now just relax and talk with her for a bit. I'll be upstairs."

Darren then turned and walked out of the room, leaving the two alone. Mince sighed a little and sat on the couch where Klaira sat and started talking.

It was then a month later, they've enjoyed one another greatly, seeing they interested in a lot of the same things. Genetics was a shock to Mince, and muscle cars, ranging from Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, GTO's, and 442's. Her dream car was an Olds 442 W-30, what Mince owned was a W-31, which was more of a lesser version of the W-30. She also was a street racer, and street raced in Motor City, given the nickname Racing Beauty.

She raced with a Nissan Skyline GTR, and also with a Honda Accord, Toyota Supra, Mazda RXS, and lastly, an ultra rare Shelby GT-500 KR, the one car she only uses when racing against the most legendary racers. Why? She built it from the tires to the sunroof. Having friends help her with the bodywork, vinyl work, and ordering parts. She was a racing legend in Motor City, and gave up on racing when one of her buddies handed her their GTO Judge, and committed suicide. She never raced the Pontiac; it was too rare and valuable.

After she finished her story on her street racing career at a boat harbor, she only sighed and stared up at the dark sky, her face filled with depression.

Mince glanced over, "How is the car anyways?"

She continued to stare, "It's good, I just haven't driven it for a while."

Mince stopped, making Klaira also stop, and faced him. She ears flicked up a little and stared with some wonder.

Mince smiled a little, "What's done is done, and you've gotta move on with life, no matter how painful it is."

She lowered her head and nodded lightly, then stared back up at the chameleon that dressed in black attire, "Of all the guys I've known besides your brother, you've been the best."

He smirked a little, his eyes softening, and his smile with gentleness, "You're the most talented and smartest girls I've ever met."

She blushed, and stared back down towards the water, taking the complement with care.

Mince then stepped close and grasped her hands, "You're lucky to be so beautiful."

She laughed a little, "You're lucky to be so kind."

Mince heard enough, and took her in closer, leaned over, and pressed his soft lips against hers. She stood with a bit of shock, feeling his body heat pass from him to her, and slowly drifted from her mind, and wrapped her arms around him. Mince then wrapped his arms around her waist, and slipped his tongue inside, and curling his tail around her leg. They both stood near the edge of the dock, feeling a slight cold breeze flow in and chilling them a little, only to make them get even closer.

Sound of water splashing was made right by them, and in that instant they were soaked. Breaking the kiss and yelping a little from the cold water being splashed upon, they jumped, and shook their wet heads, trying to see through their wet eyes. They both then turned and seen a dolphin stare up at them, and started to bark a little at them with happiness, its rubber face laughing at them.

"Guess it wants us to cool down a bit." Klaira laughed a little.

Mince also laughed, "Thank god I don't have to work tomorrow."

Klaira whipped her head back and forth to shake some of the water off, and quickly took off her violet shirt, and squeezed the water out, and quickly put the shirt back on. Mince didn't care for the wetness, and only watched Klaira with a bit of pleasure in his eyes.

She seen him and grinned slightly, "Feeling horny tonight?"

Mince raised his hands, and waved her, also grinning, "Bring it all on."

She smiled, "No, you bring it all on."

Quickly it turned into a chase, Klaira taking off with great speed, and Mince closely behind her, headed to his Olds.

About two hours later, Darren waited for Mince to return from his date, and read his Exotic Enthusiast magazine, seeing if there was to be a newer version of the Gallardo coming soon, since his was a '00 Gallardo. He heard the front door open, and footsteps echoing, he smiled a little.

Mince walked into the den, and collapsed on the couch, taking off his shoes and placing his feet on the table. Darren took a quick glance at his brother, and seen the chameleon was sweating heavily, and his tan cheeks were tainted with redness.

He then noticed a hickey through his white shirt.

Darren started to laugh hysterically, closing his magazine, and continued to laugh. Mince turned and stared at Darren strangely, wondering what he was laughing so hard about.

Darren turned to Mince, "So my horny bro finally dragged her to the bed. Ha!"

Mince scratched his head, "Not the bed, the car."

Darren then smiled greatly, "You've finally found your love."

Mince shrugged, "Yeah, but we ended up getting soaked."

Darren smiled, "I know."

Mince then turned to Darren, his mouth dropped, "You were the dolphin?"

Darren grinned, "Why would I miss a thing like that?"

Mince rolled his eyes and got up, "Going to bed now."

Darren quickly bounced up, and stopped Mince, "Hey, wait."

The chameleon turned, their eyes meeting.

Darren then opened up his arms, "I'm proud of you bro."

Mince smiled, and quickly they gave each other a bear hug, both laughing a little. As Mince turned, Darren sat back down, and watched him go.

As Mince walked up the stairs, he smiled, "I finally have someone to love besides by bro. Thank you Klaira."

**END FLASHBACK**

Mince kept his head low, and his eyes closed, calming himself down a little. His body finally stopped shaking, wiped some of the blood off of his face, and sat on his knees. Silence filled the hallways, and time just seemed to stop, his mind at ease and, for once, like he was normal, before Huston shot and distorted his mind.

It was odd; he didn't feel any need, any lust, and any pain, nothing that came with his insane side.

He then felt something cold press up against his head, and a sound of a gun's magazine being filled. He froze, and his body quickly filled with stiffness, unable to move. He was able to turn his head slightly, and seen in the corner of his eye, a blood silver chameleon pushing a gun at his head.

"Get up." The silver one ordered.

Mince sat for a few seconds, and put on foot in front, and pushed himself from his knees, and on his feet, his back still facing Darren. He kept his head forward and closed his eyes again, still able to feel the gun pressed against his head.

"Where's the chip?" Darren asked, lowering his gun.

Mince turned his head slowly towards Darren. Darren stood with his black clothing drenched with rips and tears from being attacked, and blood slightly staining his scales on his head, and scars across his right eye. Mince's body then was struck by lust, and remembered, he attacked Darren from above while in a Level five Serpent Licker Mutant form, using a Serpent that extended from his stomach, and it's head expanding like rubber, it's mouth opening to almost Darren's height, and snapped his side instead of actually being swallowed whole.

His body twitched a little, wanting to shift, wanting to mutate into something to relieve the pressure that started to press against his skin.

He smiled, "I'll tell you one thing, it ain't with me."

Darren glared a little, scanning him up and down. Mince then looked by his feet, and seen keys lying in the dead human's hand, and kicked them forward towards Darren. The silver chameleon flicked his head down at the keys, and stared at them for a short moment.

Mince grinned a little, being given the chance, he camouflaged, hiding from his brother's eyes. Darren quickly flicked his head back up, and raised his gun up to try and find him. His head then felt something smack against it, and smack against the wall beside him, he lost grip of his gun and blacked out.

-----------------------

"Okay," Samiria nodded slightly, "So really Huston's the one that made Mince go insane. Now I see why the boss and him are such ass-holes."

Onterage nodded, "When Huston heard of the chip and what it had, you and my dad were the only one's that knew where it was. Seeing though you were difficult to get to, he went after my dad, shot my mom, and shot him with a distortion solution. When that happened though, he forgot where the chip was placed."

"Which is why we found it first." Jared nodded slightly.

Espio faced Onterage, "What about Samiria's problem?"

Samiria then banged her head against the wall, "And I forgot about it how and why?"

Onterage smiled, "There's a cure for it!"

Samiria quickly bounced up and stared at Onterage, "WHAT?"

Onterage nodded, and shifted to her mutant hedgehog form again, "Follow me!"

Misty though blinked, and remembered, "What about Darren?"

Onterage and the others though were already out the door, and Misty had to quickly follow, leaving her question to be unanswered.

Onterage bolted around a left corner, and shot like a bullet down the hallway. Samiria and Jared ran as fast as they could, and tried to keep within their eyes where Onterage was headed to, while Espio and Misty also followed, but behind them. Samiria quickly slowed up, and the let the two go ahead, while dragging Jared also to a small halt. Onterage stopped just before a right corner, and waited by a door for them to catch up, and shifted to her normal form, and looked around the corner to see if anything was coming that way.

They quickly caught up to her and stood staring at her, then staring at the door that marked with a white sign:

**Anti-Virus Room**

Jared smiled, "I got this."

Jared nodded, and stepped back a few steps from the door, and making the others back up as well. The fox then walked even farther back wards to the wall, and leaned his heel against it readying himself to break the window that was just above the sign. He took a deep breath, then shoved himself from the wall, and bolted towards the door, rearing up is right fist just behind his head, and threw it at the window, gritting his teeth, hoping to break it with one shot. The punch came in contact with the window, and the window shattered within a split second, and shooting in the room like flying daggers that smacked against computer monitors.

Jared stepped back, taking out his hand from the window, and stood, grasping it with slight pain tingling in his knuckles.

Samiria walked over, grasping the silver door handle, "Jared…"

Jared glanced up at her, "Huh?"

Samiria then turned the silver handle downward, and barely put any effort into opening the door slightly, while smiling at him with mockery. Jared stared at the door, then his hand, and quickly felt the embarrassment that surrounded him from the kids' stares and Samiria's slight laughing.

When Samiria opened the door slightly, the room was filled with computers and some freezers, and a large table in the middle holding racks of test tubes with different colored solutions. They all stepped in and spread out into the room, staring at the walls, table and the desks.

Onterage quickly ran to a freezer tucked in a corner, and pulled it open, releasing a small breath of cold air outside, and quickly dug into it. The others watched as the young chameleon dug into it, and brought out a small plastic bag, with a red colored solution inside an injection needle. Samiria's eyes flicked with happiness, and she was quickly overjoyed, but knew better than to scream in happiness in the place they were in.

Onterage closed the freezer and turned towards her, "This is what you do."

They watched as the chameleon took it out, and twisted around where a small needle poked, and as she twisted it, the needle grew longer and longer until its full extent, and she stopped twisting it. She then walked over and stood in front of Samiria and Jared.

"You stab this in your stomach," She explained, "What this will do is not only kill the thing, but also make your stomach return to its normal state."

Samiria smiled, "Thank you."

"BUT!" Onterage quickly started again, "The moment you stab this, is the moment you're going to have contractions."

The wolf's face quickly went pale, "What…"

"The thing can't just dissolve in your stomach," Onterage stated, "You need to get rid of it like a pregnant women has her child, when it comes out, it'll be dead. It's extremely painful though."

Samiria then glared at her, "Ya think? I'm a mother, I know how bad it is."

Onterage stared, "A lot worse than usual though."

Jared rolled his eyes, "Great…"

Samiria continued to glare, "How's that?"

"As you're delivering," She sighed a little with a bit of despair in her voice, "Even though its dying, it'll go into a huge growth spurt as it comes out, and forces your legs to disconnect from their joints in your hips so you can widen up a little."

Espio and Misty made a belching sound and turned away, not willing to listen anymore. Samiria's mouth dropped, and Jared sat his hand on his forehead and across his eyes, feeling a slight headache coming, and was also disturbed. Samiria though turned, and closed her yes, and banged her head against the wall, frustrated.

"Why, why, why, why!" Samiria howled a little.

Jared sighed, and stepped towards Onterage, "Fine, we'll do it."

Misty quickly spun around and stared at him, "What about us? I don't want to see it! And i'm sure Espio doesn't want to either!"

"And I don't." Espio finished off.

Samiria quickly sat on the floor and leaned against the wall, "the room next door, go in there and shut the door, it's sound proof."

The two then quickly ran out and went into the room across the hallway, and shut it behind them.

Onterage stared at Jared, "To make sure it's dead, crack the neck."

Jared stuck out his tongue slightly in gross ness, "Yeah, thanks."

Onterage nodded, and quickly ran out, leaving the two in the room.

Samiria started to remove her pants, and sighed with grief, "Why does everything have to come with a painful price, especially this?"

Jared turned and shrugged, "Life, it sucks no matter what."

She rolled her eyes and removed her black underwear, and set the two pieces of clothing aside, and lifted her shirt, "Whenever you're ready…"

Jared closed his eyes, and aimed the needle at her mutated stomach. He tried to think that this would all be over in just one second, and tried to think that this nightmare would end, and he'd wake up beside Samiria unharmed. He reared up his hand with the injection, took one last breath, and held it.

He then thrust the needle, and stabbed her in the stomach, and Samiria howled loudly, feeling the creature inside her already starting to frolic and press against her stomach as she started to bleed.

-----------------------

Misty sat with her legs crossed on the floor and stared at the floor bored, with Espio sitting beside her and twiddling his thumbs. Onterage sat in her mutant hedgehog form and flicked the small tail back and forth with nervousness in her.

Misty then turned to Espio, "How did you wind up here?"

Espio lowered his head a little lower, "I had an adopted mom, and she abandoned me in this place, and told the scientists that I could be experimented on. Mince though, before he became crazy, took me in and acted like a father to me for a while."

Onterage swept her head up, "That's where I recognize you from! When I visited, you were always around."

Misty stared in a little of amazement, "Kinda almost what happened to me."

Espio turned to her, "Where are your parents?"

"Dead." Misty lowered her head and ears, and closed her eyes, "I was sent to a foster home, and so was my brother. But I hated it, and ran away, since they threatened to send me here. So I've traveled alone for about four years."

"And your brother?" Espio cocked his head.

"I don't know." Misty shrugged, "I'm just surprised that the dream of becoming a skilled ninja kept me going, along with finding my family that lived from an attack at our reunion."

Espio's eyes widened, "You also want to become a ninja? So do I."

Onterage smiled a little, "Good to see you two are fast friends."

Espio shrugged, "I'll never forget this, besides…"

Misty stared at him with wonder as he faced Misty, and continued, "You Misty have saved my life. And once we get out, I'll forever remember you and be in your debt."

Misty shook her head, "I appreciate the remembering, but the whole debt thing, forget it, please?"

Espio smiled, "Anything for you."

Misty smiled slightly.

The door opened behind them, and they all jumped to their feet, and watched the door open slowly, hearing it faintly squeak with some weakness. The hallways were strangely silent, and the slight warm air raiding their room was very odd. The warm air seemed like it was moist, like a strange rain was just around.

Didn't Samiria mention that their room was sound proof? Was the room the two were in also sound proof? Or is there something funny?

The three watched as the door came to a stop, and seen nothing in view.

Misty then felt a punch come to the side of her head, and made her collide into Espio, blurring her vision, and couldn't tell between the light and the ceiling. They both laid on the floor, Misty on Espio, and wondered what attacked her. All Misty could see was a dark figure standing above her that raised its arm again, and took another smack at her, and made her vision go completely black but didn't make her def for a few seconds.

"Misty!" She heard Espio cry out a little.

She lastly heard a loud snarl slowly fade, and soon, she heard nothing, and remembered nothing.


	11. Change of Sides

**Chapter 11: **

**Change of Sides**

A slight chill woke her up, she blinked a few times to clear up her vision, hoping to see that either she woke up from a nightmare, and lay in a motel bed accidentally leaving the window open. Or she was lying outside of the building her nightmare took place, lying by the steps, where someone would see her and take her to a hospital and save her life from being tortured any longer from the pain she felt in her head.

Neither one was what she seen…

She was lying in the middle of a huge circular room, with white walls and a slick floor. On to her right, she seen Samiria, Jared, Espio, and Onterage chained by their necks, arms, and legs to the wall, lying on the floor knocked out as well, and lay motionless. One thing Misty noticed was Samiria looked a lot more normal. The deed was done!

The girl hedgehog also spotted Darren beside Onterage, slowly getting up onto his knees with scars and bruises all over, and his silver skin ruined by the blood that stained him badly. She wasn't sure though whether to run over and help him, or to stay and hope she wasn't to be the first killed.

There was a sinister laugh that echoed through the room a few seconds later, and Misty spun her head around to see her nightmare standing just feet away.

"So you've finally awakened Misty." Mince laughed evilly.

Misty quickly leaped to her feet, and stood ready to run, her heart gaining beats, shaking her a little in her chest, "You!"

Mince knew what she was thinking, and started to walk towards her very slowly, "I'm surprised that you've still haven't gotten a scratch, except from me. To see such a young hedgehog here, avoiding everything that came her way is something you don't see everyday, now is it?"

Misty started to walk backwards, keeping the distance between her and Mince the same, "If you think I'm valuable, you're looking at nothing, I'm worthless! So leave me and my friends alone!"

Mince started to speed his pace a little, and got even closer, "It's not just your value, that chip you have is what I'm seeking, and it decides whether you and your friends deserve to live or not."

"Don't do it Misty!" Samiria howled.

The two quickly spun their heads towards the wolf, which sat on her knees and blood drained from her lips.

She snarled, "Don't even do it."

Mince then started his pace again while Misty stared at her for a second, making his steps silent. Misty then turned her head back at the chameleon and stared at him with a menacing glare as he walked towards her, while she stood her ground, and made sure not to turn and run, for now.

The chameleon was just feet away from her, and stopped, "I do not mean of any harm if you're willing to cooperate. So you know. Just give me the chip, and all of, you, including Espio, will walk out of here without anymore harm done."

She stood and stared at him, his tail flicking back and forth with a bit of patience, his hands behind his back, and his eyes looking directly into hers. For some odd reason she felt a little as ease all of a sudden, and loosened up from being so tense.

He stepped forward to her, and knelt on his knees, and stared at her with a bit of a grin, and put out his right hand, "If you trust me, then give me the chip."

Jared woke up, and shook his head to shake the tiredness form his head, and so did Espio and Onterage. When they seen Mince so close to her, they held their breaths, and watched as Misty stood in front of him without fear in her eyes. Darren wasn't calm about what Misty was planning on doing, and knew that the next move she makes, could be her last, even if she surrendered the chip.

Misty stared up and Mince, and the feeling of being at ease grew bigger, and she felt a bit of trust actually be transferred into her. His red eyes seemingly appealing, and she seen some innocence, but not enough to call him normal. She took a deep breath, and reached down into her pocket, and drew out the chip in her hand, the small thing was the size of her fingernail, and looked like a small key of some sort. She made a note in her head about the device that distorts gravity, and knew that if she handed the chip to him, she'd have nothing to activate this device with. But if she didn't, she might not make it out alive from this underground lab.

She raised her hand above his with the chip clutched in it, and took a huge deep breath again. Mince waited patiently, and watched as her hand slowly, his tail now still, and his body heating up. Misty opened her hand, and opened it to where her fingers extended out.

Nothing dropped form her hand.

Mince stared at her, and his eyes quickly went from peace, to an irritation. She smiled, and flicked her hand down towards his belt, using her telekinesis, she snatched the keys she had, and bolted to the side. The chameleon quickly bolted after her, his eyes shifting to black with red slits, and snarled violently as he ran after her. Misty seen that there was no glass to protect the others, and made a sharp left, while throwing the keys to Espio, and shifting to her fox form. The keys slide to Espio's feet, and quickly the chameleon used his chained feet to drag them underneath him, just before Mince screeched to a halt just in front of him, swinging his tail almost across his face.

Misty came to a halt, and stared at the mutant wit her fox blue eyes, and watched the creature stare her down with the evil eyes, and slowly mutating into a larger form. She showed a little of a nervous expression as the chameleon grinned at her evilly, and hissed slightly.

She seen something move on his stomach, and glanced down a little at it, within that second, a large snake head jumped form his skin, and enlarged swiftly to where the mouth stretched open and was bigger than her, with fangs that were just barely smaller than her fox legs. She her legs froze, and she felt like she couldn't move from her position from the sight of the creature that shot at her, since she could move from the shock, and started to panic. She lowered her head, and blue fire lit under her paws, and a ring of blue fire surrounded her, rose around her into a fire shield that made the creature run into it, and forced it back into Mince's skin, burning him severely. Mince grabbed his stomach, and feel to his knees, screeching loudly, slouching over and could barely move from the intense burn.

The mutant then flicked his head up and snarled at her, and jumped to his feet and bolted at her again. This time shifting quickly into a mutant of speed, sleek and slim, his body deforming with muscles bulging through his skin, and veins indenting his body head to toe.

Just before the mutant could land on her, she shot from her placement to her right, leaving a small fire trail behind her that quickly faded just seconds afterwards. Mince then chased her, snarling violently and his hissing deep with lust, making the shape-shifter run around the room, and soon made her run up the walls. Misty ran up the walls with great speed, with Mince closely behind, following every step, and avoiding the burning trail she left behind her, it was like watching stunt motorcyclists in a closed sphere, only in this case, it was a life or death situation.

Quickly Espio grabbed the keys with his chained hands and got close to Onterage, and unlocked her hands. The two then switched and she unlocked his, and unlocked their collars and feet, and moved to Darren first.

The fox then leaped onto a ceiling fan, and ducked from Mince's leaped, making the mutant collapse onto the floor on all fours and spinning back around to face her up on the ceiling. The ceiling fan swayed back and forth from Misty's movements, screeching faintly from Misty's weight, soon making the wire crack from the ceiling. Seeing a chance, Mince shot up his Serpent again, and forced the fox to jump from the ceiling fan, just as the Serpent took a chunk of the ceiling fan off. Mince then shifted to normal, and prepared another range attack from where he stood, which was a few yard from Espio and Onterage's stance.

Darren was release, within seconds, the silver chameleon drew out from behind him his katana, and charged at his brother at full speed, swinging his katana back after taking a large step, then threw the sword forward as he was about to take another towards Mince. The katana sliced through Mince's side like butter, but was drawn back out short, and was taken out before Darren hit Mince's spine. The mutant screeched loudly, his body jolting into a state of shock from the attack, and made Darren back up a few steps. Mince quickly spun around, his side and his back sewing back together, restoring Mince's slice, rejuvenating him greatly.

Misty quickly ran around the two as Darren pressured Mince to get to the center of the room with his katana. The fox then quickly shifted to normal and joined the others, helping Espio and Onterage figure out how to release Jared. A loud bang made then jump from their spots, and spin around, to see a glass wall close them into that spot, and was shielded by lasers that were implanted in the glass, and covered the glass like a large checkerboard. They stared, and seen Darren and Mince alone in the room, and knew that Darren was to stand and fight alone.

The two brothers parted slightly, both backing up towards the longer sides of the room, and giving the others the view of both facing one another. Darren kept his katana up and ready, slowly stepping back a little and watched as his younger brother snarled slightly at him, and felt a slight tremble within his stomach of depression. This was his brother he was fighting, and yet the only to save him was to do whatever it takes to kill him, if it weren't for Huston's guard shooting Mince's wife, none of this would've happened. He took a deep breath, and let a small teardrop trace blood down his cheek from his eyes.

Mince's tail hardened to a black blade with the look of a katana, swiftly he spun half ways and smacked his tail, breaking the hardened part from his tail, and caught the black blade within his right hand. His tail was a smaller, but within seconds, it replenished itself back into the tail it once was, uncurled and whip-like, flicking back and forth like a whip.

The two brothers stood with their weapons in hand, and eyed one another straight within the eyes, standing firmly in their place as the others stared and watched.

The silver chameleon then lowered his katana, and lowered his head, "You're not worth it."

Mince raised his head slightly, and gawked at him with a bit of concern, "Excuse me?"

Darren tossed his katana aside, the sword clanking on the metal floor as it bounced to the wall, and stopped. The barricaded ones let their mouths drop slightly as their ears perked up and their shocked expressions all focused on the older chameleon. This was very unlike Darren to suddenly just drop his weapon aside, and stand open.

Darren clinched his fist, his body strangely constricting in his body, and making the chameleon tighten up, and gritted his teeth, "You're only a waste of time. I can't kill you anyways. Now just let us all go."

The mutant one growled slightly, "Not until you hand over that chip! None of you are going out alive until that chip is mine."

Darren smiled, "I have the chip. Why didn't you say something?"

Misty blinked a few times in confusion, and took out the chip she had and stared at it.

_But Darren, I have it!_

She stood and stared up at the silver one.

_Trust me Misty, I know what I'm doing._

Mince lowered his blade, "Show it then if you do."

Darren grinned, "First I'd like to ask…"

Mince tensed slightly, gripping his blade tightly, "Yes..."

Darren smiled, "You know Klaira?"

Jared took a slight gulp, "He just doomed himself."

Mince then stared at Darren with a deadly glare, "Don't you bring her in this…"

The silver one then grinned, "The reason why she left you anyways, was because I told her that this was to happen, and if she was around, she'd be murdered by you, not your wife. Plus, I told her all about this accident. She imediately turned and ran, crying out she wanted to leave."

Onterage's eyes then stared at Mince with a bit of concern and question.

Mince's mouth dropped and his red eyes went instantly blue, and his insanity seemed to dispatch from his body for a few seconds as he stared at Darren with distress. The older chameleon saw the swift glimpse of what Mince was once, but only for that moment, and glared at him slightly.

Mince's eyes reduced to red again, and he stood straight up, "Y-You made her leave?"

Darren then grinned, "In fact, it wouldn't matter, because she's dead, she committed suicide because she just realized she actually hated you, and since you two went the whole way, she killed herself."

The mutant then dropped his blade, fell to his hands and knees, and lowered his head towards the ground in distress, "No, you're lying!"

Darren took a few steps closer to Mince, "You killed her Mince, you're a murderer! You like the taste of blood dripping from people's veins, you like it when you feel the orgasm you get when pleased by anyone desired."

Mince growled and grasped his head and tried to tune out his brother, "No! I'm not a murderer! None of it's true! Stop lying!"

Darren then kneeled beside Mince and put his face close to Mince's, and growled slightly, "Why do you do this to not only yourself, but to others? Why my brother?"

The chameleon then shouted in agony and curled up with his spine poking through his shirt and his tail curled around him, "STOP! Please stop!"

Darren's eyes then flickered from his natural blue, to a blood red, and grinned, "You want that chip, don't you?"

Mince then slowly sat back up and stared at him with an agonizing stare.

Darren then smiled, and fangs grew from his smile, "I can help you..."

Jared then turned to Samiria, "So uh, what did we miss before this?"

Samiria's expression went to anguished, "You know that cure you supposable stabbed into Darren?"

Jared stared, "What about it?"

"I don't think it actually cured him." Samiria whimpered, "I think it only paralyzed the mutation for a bit, and was slowly growing within him. And now…"

Espio's eyes grew small, as he just released Jared's collar restraint, "Now he's evil…"

Hearing Espio's comment, Misty stared at the boy chameleon, then back at Darren, seeing his red eyes dimmed dark, to where they were black with red slits. A strange sense of evil seemed to tickle Misty's spine, making her shiver slightly, feeling the decieving that has just been done.

He was right!


	12. The Escape

**Chapter 12: **

**The Escape**

Misty gulped, "Excuse my language, but, shit…"

Mince's eyes came in contact with Darren's and stared, "It worked?"

The silver one grinned evilly, "Oh yes. Yes it did."

Espio quietly snuck over to Samiria, and undid her chain restraints, trying to hurry before they were eyed on, and was soon to be dead. As the chains rattled to the ground, Jared spotted a small panel to the right of Samiria, and leaped over to it, and smashed it with his fist. The panel broke with sparks flying and the sound of electricity going crazy, and the barrier that held them in faded away.

"Run!" Jared shouted.

The brothers flicked their heads over, seeing the five prisoners scamper towards the steel doors that were just ahead of their path of escape. Darren snarled violently, getting on his feet and shot after them with fleet speed, and leaped at them with claws and fangs bared out. Jared seen the traitor's leap at them, while running towards the door, the fox was able to jump into air about three feet from the ground, and gave the chameleon a brisk punch to the face, making the silver one fly back and almost collide into Mince.

Misty, Espio and Onterage bolted out of the room first and took an immediate left, while Samiria trailed them, and Jared lastly bolting out from the terror from behind. The fox spun around on his heels, grabbing the steel door with his right hand, and slamming it back into its hatch just before Mince was able to leap at him. The door banged into place followed by a sound of Mince's body slamming into the door just a second afterwards.

Jared stepped backwards and stared at the closed door while panting with exhaustion, "Damn it! What is wrong with place?"

Samiria eyed Jared just before she took a right, spun back around and rushed over to the fox, snatching the male's arm briskly, and dragged him away from their nightmare behind the door, "Come on! Let's get out of here!"

The two quickly spun back around and took a right, finding the three kids waiting for them impatiently, their heads flipping their heads right and left with urgency, wanting to get the hell out and get out alive. The two lovers caught up with them, Samiria taking the lead, and Jared getting their backs while they ran for their lives through the destroyed labs, hearing their feet slap on the floor that was covered in glass, blood, papers, whatever that was still left in the halls. They took another left, Samiria's eyes catching instantly a staircase to the right, just before a dead end. She bolted forward to verify safety, while Misty shifted into her fox form and bolted past her, not worried about what was in her way, followed by Espio, and Onterage in her disguise and trailed the chameleon. Jared then shoved Samiria forward, and shut the doors behind them that closed off the staircase, and locked its pathway shut.

---------------------

The door burst from its hinges, and Mince slid on the floor while on his side, smacking his head against the wall, while wounds marked his body red. The chameleon lay motionless, barely able to move his head, while hearing Darren step closer to him, able to hear the slight noise of mutation. Mince kept on the ground almost lifeless; closing his red eyes from the sight of Darren, and quickly grew scared.

Darren knelt down while blood trailed from his eyes, not by crying, and lowered his voice lion-like, "Stay out of my way, or be my prey until you're dead. I know exactly how to kill you, and it's easy…"

Mince took a slight gulp, blood slightly draining from his throat, "Whose side are you on anyways?"

The traitor smiled, "I'm on yours, but just stay out of my way."

The silver one then camouflaged, and the chameleon's footsteps trailed off silently away from the young chameleon, and left Mince to lie alone. Mince growled slightly, and pushed himself up off the ground, getting to his feet once again, his wounds healing slowly, and strength slowly being restored. Since the chameleon hasn't had this curse for a long time, his healing rate was slow, and knew that if he lose too much blood, that he'd go into a frenzy, and kill anything in his path. What sucked even worse was he had no idea now what truly happened before he was shot, after Darren's mind torture, he couldn't get things straight, and leaned against the wall stressed.

Mince's eyes flicked back open, and he spun his head towards Darren's direction, then bolted from his place with rage, his speed picking up quickly as he ran on his feet after hi brother. He took wide corners without looking, kept his eyes forward, and kept gaining speed, to result in taking one last corner, the chameleon eyes his brother walking calmly down the hallway. He chased the bloody silver one hurriedly, bounded towards him, tackling him down from behind. Their bodies slid on the floor and rolled a few times, Mince quickly rolled off of Darren, just before the silver chameleon spun around and snapped at his stomach with bitter fury. The two stood apart on their hands and feet, glaring at each other, and snarling violently.

"You think you can win over me?" The silver one snarled.

Mince grinned, "I don't think, I know I can."

Darren replied with a horrifying screech, but was unable to make Mince stay in his spot, and Mince leaped at him again, claws and fangs drawn out, and the two quickly started to exchange blows with bites, slashes, and stabs. The two rolled around in the trash of the labs, and into one of the lab rooms, still wanting to try and slash one another up into pieces. They then quickly got on their feet and tried punching each other out, Darren pushing Mince further into the room with aggression, and Mince dodged to the left and right to avoid being hit, then reply back with a punch that'd miss him.

Darren threw another punch at Mince, only for the punch to be caught in Mince's left hand, and soon Darren's left with the right. Mince then shoved forward, making the silver one stumble backwards, and land on a table with injections pointing upwards, that stabbed into Darren's back. The silver chameleon choked on his cry, with no voice calling out from his open mouth as Mince held his fists tightly, watching the chameleon's eyes slowly close, and his head lay to the side with no life being shown.

Mince released Darren's fists, and stepped back, watching the silver one lay dead on the table, the injection needles stabbing into the chameleon's body. Mince shook a little in panic, seeing he just killed a family member unintended, but walked out of the room as calm as he could keeping his back turned.

Mince walked down the hallway a little, then leaned against the wall, and slid to the floor with agony, gripping his fists tightly, and putting his head on them while his elbows touched his knees. The chameleon's mind seemed to distort even more, memories coming in and out, just out of no where, frustrating the mutant, and making him even more scared.

He then remembered, "Onterage!"

---------------------

"This way!" Jared directed.

They all scampered from one hallway to another, following Jared, Samiria keeping with the kids to make sure none of them fall behind or get hurt. They made one last turn, and came to a door ahead of them, without thinking, Samiria bolted from her place, and ran up to the solid silver doors, and slid to a stop. The wolf slipped her fingers between the small crack, and shifted to her ware form, and tried pulling the doors apart from their places. The wolf grunted slightly with irritation, with soon turned into a shine, and then a scream, and fell to the floor with exhaustion. Jared then slipped his fingers between the cracks, and tried himself, but the doors wouldn't budge.

Misty, Espio, and Onterage stared at their attempt, hoping that somehow the doors would open, and would lead them out. Onterage though turned her head back behind her, and stared down the hallways that seemed to go forever behind her, wondering if she will also follow with these guys, and get out from this nightmare. A bloody tear went down her check, as she thought about her father, about Mince, and lowered her head, wanting everything to be normal again.

Espio glanced over his shoulders and stared at Onterage with concern, "Are you okay?"

Onterage shook her head; her face filled with distress, and was about ready to sob.

The two lovers gave up and sat on their knees in front of the door, Samiria turning back to her normal state with a quick flash, and the two sat almost breathless.

"It's no use." Jared panted, "The doors are sealed shut.

"Are these the only doors?" Samiria questioned the fox.

Jared fell silent, and lowered his ears.

"Jared honey?" Samiria asked again.

The fox took a gulp, and closed his eyes, "The elevator's the only way to get up."

Samiria's face then went pale, "This is the elevator?"

Jared nodded.

Samiria's mouth dropped, "No…"

Jared nodded, his head shaking while nodded.

Samiria then banged her head against the door, "Fucking A!"

Misty lowered her ears and turned to Espio, "You got any ideas?"

The chameleon shook his head, "Nope."

Misty then turned to the other chameleon, "Onterage?"

Onterage also shook her head, "That's the only way out."

Jared then spun around and leaned against the door, "The fucking thing probably weighs a ton, and I don't think even Mince could break through."

Samiria also spun around and leaned against the door, "We're not getting out, are we?"

Jared shook his head.

Espio and Onterage then also sat down facing the two, except Misty stood with her head turned towards the hallway, her eyes focused straight ahead of her. They all stared at Misty's stance, and also stared down the hallway, curious about what she was staring at. Misty's eyes flashed a brighter red for a quick second, then faded back to normal crimson, and her mouth slightly dropped.

"They're coming." Misty warned.

Samiria's ears quickly dropped, "We're all gonna die down here."

Jared shook his head, "No we're not, we're getting out one way or another."

The fox stood up, and so did the wolf, and Jared stared at the kids, "Come here for a second and help us out."

Misty spun around and walked towards them, and so did the chameleons.

Glass shattered from behind just as the two lovers had their backs turned, and a small cry of help shouted from behind. They all spun around and found that Onterage was being dragged away by a medium size echidna mutant.

"Onterage!" Samiria cried out.

The chameleon tried to cry out, but her voice was lost as the echidna dragged her by her neck, blood trailing on the floor. Misty then bolted after her, leaving the others to call at her to come back. The echidna mutant continued to drag the innocent chameleon around a corner, Onterage's blood staining the metal floors, and lead Misty around the corner.

Misty blinked while she took the corner, opening her eyes up again, she saw a massive chameleon mutant standing in the hallway, scaring off the echidna mutant into another room. Misty gasped in shock, and screeched to a halt, seeing the mutant looked bad enough to deal with, and spun back around, just as a Serpent shot and snapped at her, and missed.

Misty then bolted down the hallway back towards the others, in fright, almost running into another massive chameleon mutant that broke through a glass window. The hedgehog then came to a halt again, and gawked at the other mutant with fear, as the chameleon's red slotted eyes watched her back away from her.

"Mince…" Misty said silently.

The first mutant chameleon then crept from the corner, and trapped the hedgehog within the small area, snarling with hunger and lust.

"Darren…"Misty gulped.

The others stood with worry unsure of what to do.

Jared though growled slightly, and got up from his place, leaving Samiria and Espio to be afraid in front of the door. The fox sped up from behind one of the mutants, and leaped at it.

The mutant Misty entitled Mince caught Jared behind the corner of its eye, flicked its body around, and swung its tail at him. The tail didn't slice the fox; it stabbed him through his stomach, Jared's body slid slightly in the tail's end, unable to take one last breath before his vision grew dark, and soon, black, then dropped on the tail.

"NO!" Samiria howled with tears in her eyes.

The mutant then lowered its tail down, and slid the lifeless fox off the end, then spun its head back around and snarled at the hedgehog.

The two mutants then started to close in on her, making the hedgehog even more scared, making her spin her head back and forth, and making her finally crouch down and panic. One of the mutants then leaped at her with the claws drawn out, and fangs bared.

Gunshots bombed the hallways with sound out of nowhere, and struck the mutant that tried to attack Misty, and fell backwards into a doorway, knocked out. The other mutant was then struck by bullets from behind, and collapsed to the floor. Their heads stared at the source, and gawked with amazement.

A black suited shooter with a helmet, sleek boots, and a rifle in hand, standing in front of a doorway that wasn't there before, with a staircase that leads upwards.

The shooter waved his arms, "Come on! Let's go!"

Samiria and Espio quickly got up, and ran across the hall to the shooter, and soon up the stairs with tears in their eyes, Misty though only walked towards the shooter, but then stopped in front of the hallway Onterage was lastly seen.

She seen in the hallway, Mince, holding Onterage in his arms, and tears of blood stream down his face, Onterage's body close to his, on his knees, and didn't even notice Misty. The hedgehog stood with awe, and also let a teardrop stream down her face with sorrow and emotional pain, seeing at least Mince cared for his daughter, though sadly, seeing Onterage's body was bloody, the young chameleon was dead. All that the chameleon had, was now gone, his daughter was the world; if only he remembered who he was before she was killed.

At least she wasn't murdered.

Misty smiled slightly, and spun her head around, and caught a glimpse of whiteness within the dark figure, and spun her head back around towards Mince again. The young chameleon's eyes were shear white, and fangs bit into Mince's shoulders while claws clinched around the arms of Mince. Misty's face then grew pale with fear, seeing what used to be her friend, was also turned into something she wasn't before, and to see fangs and claws on her was made her even more afraid. She blinked and stared closer, to see that Mince's sobbing face, then flipped into a sly smile, then into a grin, and then, the chameleon started to laugh hysterically.

Misty took no chance and ran towards the exit, the door nearly shutting her inside the laboratory, and left the evil place, still with Mince's laugh echoing in her mind. As she ran up the stairs following the black suited shooter, her mind grew blank, and she ran with her fear still echoing in her mind.

_Misty…_

Misty stopped in panic, and froze stiff with fear.

_You will see me again Misty, don't think this is over yet…_

Misty took a big gulp and started to shake, and started to follow the shooter again, her body then just trembling with fear, as she felt a hand grab her lightly, and dragged her upwards. She stared up, to see light bouncing off of Samiria, who smiled slightly, as she grabbed her in her arms, and carried her from the stairs.

They stepped into the sunlight, being blinded by how intense the light was. The shooter then left them alone, and returned to a black van nearby, where four other shooters stood. Samiria, Espio, and Misty all stared at their surrounding, as Samiria lowered Misty back on the ground, and held both of the kids close to her, seeing a tow truck tow off Darren's pierced black Gallardo. To their left, there were black vans everywhere, and shooters everywhere, and also some people in suits that stood around and gave commands. To their front, there were police trying to keep the citizens under control from the scene, people staring at her, and people staring at the building with cameras in their hands, taking pictures of the building. To their right, were the one black van, some shooters, and also a news van that sat just in front of the black van.

She tugged the two, "This way."

The echidna newscaster stood ready, as the counter reached one, the purple echidna then started to speak, "I'm Kartie Lore, we're here live at theJuracho Tropolis Laboratory, where an emergency had just been announced, an emergency that was said that a loose experiment was running around. But it turns out it was the work of the FBI headmaster, Huston Tucker, who somehow was reported murdered down underneath this building.

"Reports also show that traces of the missing Mince Marvelo have been found, and it is possible that this famous scientist might actually still be down there, after getting a report about a year ago that he vanished without a trace."

The news reporter then spotted Samiria, and bolted at her with the want to interview her, "Oh my god! It's Samiria Windmare!"

Samiria's ears turned slightly towards the echidna's voice, spun around, and stopped.

The news reporter stopped while the hedgehog camera guys also stopped behind her, and held up her mike, "Samiria! Did you just come out of that facility?"

Samiria didn't feel up for the interview, but knowing what was down there, it was best, "Yes, I did."

"Samiria," the echidna mentioned her name, "What is exactly going on down there?"

Samiria smiled, "What has already happened, was Mince _is _down there, and right now isn't the best time to go down here and get him."

The echidna leaped a little in shock, "W-What? He's down there?"

She nodded, "I suggest you don't go down there unless, you've got some major martial art skills, and unlimited ammo."

Kartie then pulled back the mike, "Is it really that serious?"

Samiria smiled, "I walked in with seven by my side, now I only walk out with two. It's serious, there's experiments looking for something to feed on everywhere, it's not safe to go down there, nor is it safe to look for Mince. His brother's probably still down there, and Jared was killed just before one of these guys tried to save us."

The echidna nodded, "These two were found down at the lab? Why?"

"One was brought here for protection from Darren." Samiria sated, "The other was brought her for experimentation, which luckily didn't occur."

"What ever happened to Onterage, Mince's daughter?" Kartie asked her.

"She's also down there." Misty stated, "But I think she was mutated."

Espio nodded, "Also the same with Darren and-"

Samiria then slapped her hand on Espio's mouth, "A bunch of others also suffered."

"What about Mince?" Kartie asked.

"That I don't know," Samiria lied, "All I know is, in order for everything to be killed, you'd have to bomb this whole city."

The echidna pulled back the mike, "If that's the case, then what would you say about the citizens here?"

"Get them all out of this city." Samiria insisted, "Build a bubble around this place, and bomb the city, if not bubbled, the whole world would suffer."

Kartie then pulled back the mike, and turned around, "There you have it, and since she's the new headmaster, everyone's to evacuate the city immediately!"

Samiria then pulled the mike back to her, "Everyone has forty-eight hours before hand, so pack anything you possible can carry, and get the hell out, all exits are open, and get as far away from this city as you can."

Samiria then turned and dragged the two kids away, leaving the newscast alone.

Misty stared up, "So this place'll be destroyed?"

Samiria nodded.

"Where are we gonna go though?" Espio asked her.

"Station Square." Samiria said, "from there, you can decide to stay with me or not."

The two nodded, and walked along side Samiria, as they walked towards her black Corvette, which sat behind a silver Chevy Camaro, which was once Jared's. The two kids got into her car, and closed the door, she then got in and closed her door, starting up the car, and slammed on the gas, and drove near the tow truck.

She rolled down the passenger window, "Can you tow the Gallardo behind me to my garage?"

The human inside nodded.

Samiria then rolled back up the window, and stared in front of her, just before she pressed on the gas again, she spotted a black car that sat just in front of a Honda. Curious she pressed the gas and drove beside it, her mouth instantly dropped when she seen its side was labeled 442, and the license plate read: ESCAPE-2

It was an Olds 442 W-31! Mince's car!

"That fuckin' bastard!" Samiria growled, "He never told me he owns a 442!"

The two kids then stared through the window at the muscle car with their mouths dropped with jealousy.

"Wow!" they commented.

Samiria smiled, "If I can find it and tow it with me, then I can change the title."

The Corvette then revved up with sound and rumble, as it sped off into the city's core, and it was also the time where Misty finally realized something.

She smiled, "Now I know they exist, I should start training."

Espio turned and smiled, "I'll join ya!"

They smiled, and knew everything was going to be all right, for now…

**Epilogue:**

The chameleon lied on the floor, feeling the pressure build inside him even more and more, as he breathed heavier and heavier with the lust for blood, but there was none left, and he knew also that the shooters were coming. If he was to be found, they'd probably shoot him on sight, and stop this torture he was having, and go out of control with anger and fury for the blood he'd smell.

The chameleon rolled on the floor violently, his muscles aching with pain, and his body wanting to burst with unstoppable growth. His stomach pulsated from being tortured inside, and his mouth grew dry from not having any blood for a long time. He couldn't take it; he must have blood, and if he didn't his torture inside would hurt like a bitch, and he'd reproduce uncontrollably.

Males aren't suppose to reproduce, but Mince was capable, with no blood around, he shouted out in pain as his stomach ripped open…

**End of Start of a Hero **

**Next Link Story: **

**Sonic PROject**


End file.
